Bringing Sexy Back
by ioanhoratio
Summary: Danny and Lindsay find out that a baby and romance don't always work well together.
1. Sexy Back?

**Bringing Sexy Back**

**By: ioanhoratio**

**Spoilers: Season 5**

_**Pay Up**_** kind of gets in the way of the new parent/new family story ideas so I am imagining that episode hasn't happened for this story. I really appreciate every ones encouragement with Selfish Pain and I am going to be adding to it soon but this story wouldn't stop bugging me. It focuses on some of the sacrifices and changes new parents deal with. (Note: if baby poop bothers you then you may want to turn back now ;) Also if this story plays out as I imagine then the rating will be upped in a few chapters but I will give you plenty of heads-up.**

**Special Thanks to: colie04, laurzz, JavaJunkie4evr, tottalymad, webdlfan, afrozenheart412, gwen24, Elja, and AC80.**

***************************************************************************

_Epilogue_

She pulled her robe tighter around her body but knew that wouldn't fight the cold that she felt. She couldn't stop her embarrassment and disappointment from overwhelming her. She threw her arms on the kitchen table and then rested her head on them. And Lindsay Messer began to cry.

******************************************************************

_Earlier that week_

Danny felt a poke in his arm and quickly looked up from the microscope he was peering through to cast a questioning look at Adam. Adam just grinned at him and pointed with his finger. Danny followed his line of sight and what he saw put an instant smile on his face. Standing outside the wall of windows was his wife and baby girl. Lindsay waved at him and Danny gave her a silent "one minute" sign. He turned to Adam and asked if he minded finishing up. Adam immediately agreed and told Danny to tell Lindsay and Lucy hi for him.

"Hey," Danny greeted his wife with a quick kiss on the cheek and took the baby carrier from her, "and hello to you too Lucy," Danny said in a higher pitched voice as he set the carrier on his desk and took his daughter out. She was awake and staring at him with the same blue eyes he sees in the mirror. Her little body immediately snuggled into his chest.

Lindsay giggled at her husband. Her New York tough cop husband holding her infant daughter never failed to put a warm feeling in her heart. When he was holding her he always had a look of pure love and affection on his face and it didn't hurt that he was absolutely wearing those jeans. Lindsay again giggled.

"You are in a happy mood," her husband observed, "I take it everything went well at the doctors."

"Yep, Lucy and I both passed our 6 week check up with flying colors," Lindsay affirmed.

"Of course you did. I take care of my girls," Danny said with pride as he gave Lucy a quick once over. He paused when he saw the band-aids on her thighs. The look he threw Lindsay nearly broke her heart.

"How did she do?" he asked quietly.

"She fussed when they gave her the shots but I nursed her and she immediately calmed down," Lindsay assured him.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be there. I got roped into helping a new Lab Tech get some information for Mac. He wanted everything done yesterday and she hasn't quite figured her way around the lab yet."

"Don't worry about it," Lindsay told him, "Besides I think it worked out for the best. I really don't think Lucy's doctor would have appreciated the head lock you would have thrown him in when he gave Lucy her shots."

Danny only shrugged. The truth was she probably wasn't that far off. When Lindsay told him Lucy was going to be getting shots he had cringed at the idea. He wasn't at all comfortable with the idea of pain being inflicted on his girl. He decided to change the subject.

"The doc said you're doin' good too?" He wanted to know.

"My doctor said that things are looking good and told me I should be good to go if we wanted to," Lindsay paused and blushed then said in a stage whisper, "you know."

Danny gave her a goofy grin, "Oh really?" He practically growled, "We can 'ya know' now? Well I love me a little 'ya know.'"

Lindsay laughed, "Don't tease me. We are at the office and we have young innocent ears here."

Danny's reply was cut off by the office door opening and a young woman walking in.

"Sorry to interrupt but I just got the results back from trace and I thought you would want them right away Detective Messer."

"Thanks Katelyn and how many times do I gotta tell ya to call me Danny?" He took the results from her and then made the introductions, "Katelyn this is my wife Lindsay or Detective Monroe as she is known when she isn't on maternity leave and our daughter Lucy—Lindsay this is Katelyn our newest Lab Technician."

After the introductions had been made Danny began looking over the report.

"It's nice to finally meet you," Katelyn gushed, "Everyone around here sings your praises. And I have heard all about this little one," she said indicating to Lucy, "Daddy here doesn't really stop talking about her and I can see with good reason. She is adorable."

"Thank you," Lindsay returned with a smile. She knew she was biased but didn't care. Anyone who could see how beautiful her daughter is was o.k. in her book. Lindsay took a moment to look over the woman. She was quite pretty with curly blonde hair and green eyes. Lindsay couldn't quite help the envy that formed as she saw the thin waist line and perky breasts. Lindsay hadn't felt perky in about 9 months.

'Does she really have to stand _that_ close to Danny?' Lindsay thought. Then immediately shook her head 'Wow you really are hormonal. The poor girl isn't doing anything and you are practically ready to rip her head off'

"I'm sorry?" Lindsay asked when she realized Katelyn had asked her something.

"I asked if you were ready to jump back into work."

"Oh…yeah, Mac is going to have me working part-time which really works for us. I am ready to work but I don't know how ready I am to spend a lot of time away from Lucy," Lindsay answered.

"Nymphea dauberyana…a Water Lily?" Danny asked suddenly, "What sense does that make?"

Katelyn shrugged and lifted her arms in defeat, "I have no idea."

"A'right. We'll take another look but if this is accurate then we gotta whole new list of questions to consider. Head on back and I'll follow ya ina minute," Danny instructed.

"It was nice to meet you," Katelyn threw over her shoulder as she hurried out of the office.

"You too," Lindsay called to the retreating form.

"She's nice," Lindsay said as she watched Danny rub his cheek against Lucy's before he placed her back into her carrier.

"Huh? Oh…sure, sure. So listen we were talking about something important before we were interrupted," Danny explained as he wrapped his arms around his spouse.

"We were? I don't remember," Lindsay teased.

"Oh no Montana, you don't get off that easy. You and me tonight doin' a little 'ya know,'" he taunted back with a waggle of his eyebrows.

"How romantic," Lindsay whined.

"Baby—love of my life—listen I am not tryin' to be rude or lewd or crude or whatever word you want to use to describe what I am about to say but I want you so bad I don't know how I am going to make it through the rest of the day with the mere thought of you at home waitin' for me. 'K? It has been over two months since you and I got down to some dirty business and I'm fairly certain I'm goin' to be doin' a lot of sittin' today and a lot of picturin' Grandma Messer and her hairy upper lip. But I promise I'll do my best to not just jump ya the second I get home. I think I can at least wait 'til after we eat dinner," Danny confided cheekily.

Lindsay's eyes grew big, "Really?"

"Really," Danny confirmed, "Now I got a lot of work to get done before Mac'll let me leave this place—so beautiful wife please take our daughter home before I pull you into a supply closet and just have my way with ya."

Danny platonically kissed the top of Lindsay's head then gave Lucy a kiss on the nose. He smiled and waved as he headed out of the office.

Lindsay sighed. She knew Danny would be excited by the news but she had no idea he would be this excited. She was delighted to get to be with her husband again but she wasn't quite as eager as he was.

"Doesn't he feel as tired as I do?" she wondered aloud.

Lindsay buckled Lucy into the carrier and then asked, "What is wrong with your mother? Of course I'm excited. Mommy loves Daddy. I think I just need a nap. Let's get home baby girl so you and I can both get some sleep."

***********************************************************************

**I don't think this is going to go as Danny hopes… ;)**


	2. Strike 1

**Brining Sexy Back**

**Strike 1**

***************************************************************************

"Hey Danno, where's the fire?" Don called after his friend. He and Hawkes were waiting outside of Mac's office so they could discuss getting search warrant for the case they were currently working on when they saw their coworker fly by.

Danny Messer was practically running out of the New York City Crime Lab.

"Nothin' special," Danny said barely stopping long enough to acknowledge his friend's question.

"Yeah right," Hawkes goaded, "I haven't seen you move this fast since the day Lindsay went into labor."

"Yeah, Yeah," Danny grumbled.

"You know," Hawkes continued, "Come to think of it that was what? About 6 weeks ago?" The knowing grin Hawkes threw Danny only served to fuel the other man's desire to get out of there as quickly as possible.

"Yes _Dr. Hawkes_," Danny shot back emphasizing Sheldon's medical title, "And everybody and everything is in tip top shape. So if you will excuse me I want to get home to my healthy girls and celebrate our good fortune." With that Danny headed straight for the elevators and chose not to comment when he heard Don asking the good doctor what was so significant about the six weeks. Danny didn't hear the answer but he did hear Don's bark of laughter.

'Great,' Danny thought, 'I am going to hear about this later.' He pushed the down arrow several times in an effort to hurry the elevator along.

He wasn't going to worry about that right now though he was supposed to have been done 2 hours ago but in a city that never sleeps it is hard to get crime to fit to a certain time table. That however was not a problem for him any more tonight. He was going home and spending the evening with his wife. Lately he had been really missing her. She was in absolute baby mode. Danny wasn't angry or jealous. He was so happy to see her with Lucy and he couldn't be more proud knowing that Lucy had the best mom possible. He just missed her. The time they did get to spend together inevitably turned to Lucy. She was such a huge part of their lives now and to say it was an adjustment didn't seem quite adequate. It was a challenge Danny was more than happy to face because he loved his girls so much but he was really looking forward to some time that would just be the two of them.

Danny couldn't help the wry chuckle that escaped. He was once the office player, the bad boy in town, but now he was the devoted husband and adoring father. He had eyes for one woman and one woman only. Danny was surprised that he really didn't mourn the loss of his bachelor title. He had a much better title now.

The subway ride home seemed to take a little longer than normal. Danny felt like a walking cliché: 'more excited than a kid in a candy store' or 'like a starved man coming home to a filet mignon.' Danny cringed at the second thought. Lindsay probably would not appreciate being compared to a slab of meat. Danny just hoped his excitement didn't lead to an early curtain call—although right now he couldn't guarantee that wasn't going to happen. His eagerness was apparent by the ridiculous grin on his face.

Finally he reached their apartment. He glanced at his watch and winced. He was really late getting home. He just hoped that Lindsay wouldn't be too tired or hadn't just given up on him and gone to bed. He had called her to let her know he was running late and even told her to not stay up for him. Although he secretly hoped she had ignored his advice and chose to stay up; he _really_ hoped she had stayed up.

As Danny entered the apartment he couldn't help but notice how quiet it was. He was desperately fighting his disappointment when he saw her on the couch. The light from the TV was flickering and casting shadows around the room.

Danny made his way over to her and realized that Lindsay was fast asleep. With a pitiable sigh Danny placed his bag on the floor and hung his head. He could tell by the fact that she was sitting up that she had tried to stay awake. His heart was warmed by her effort but he couldn't help the feeling of disappointment.

He turned the TV off and then carefully picked her up. The sudden movement caused Lindsay to jerk awake.

"Hey," she croaked.

"Shh," Danny quieted her, "just go back to sleep."

"I'm sorry," she whispered into his neck.

Danny didn't even bother to reply since Lindsay had immediately fallen back to sleep. He carried her to their bedroom and gently laid her down. He smiled at her as she snuggled in her pillow.

Danny took a quick peek at Lucy to calm his own anxiety and once he knew she was safe and still asleep he allowed his mind to wander back to Lindsay; her beautiful brown eyes, silky hair, soft skin…

"Damn." He grumbled.

He decided a cold shower was in order before he climbed into bed.

************************************************************************

**Poor Danny…I'm sure things will improve for him in the next chapter.**


	3. Strike 2

**Bringing Sexy Back**

**Strike 2**

*************************************************************************

Danny slammed his balled fist against the table top.

"Damn it," he exclaimed in frustration.

"Things not goin' so well, Mess?" Don Flack asked his friend as he walked into the lab.

"Na," Danny shrugged, "I keep thinkin' I am gonna figure this out and then I find something that contradicts everything we thought we already knew."

Don gave him a quick frown then observed, "Ya know I thought you'd be a better mood today."

Danny cringed slightly. 'Let the teasing begin,' Danny thought.

"Yeah? Why's dat?" Danny countered. He was going to take the good natured ribbing but he wasn't going to make it easy for his friend.

"Oh, I don't know. I jus heard the time was right for a little romance," Don implied suggestively.

Danny couldn't help the snort of laughter.

"Shows how much you know. Have a baby and then tell me what time of the day exactly is right for _romance_," Danny made sure to put a little extra emphasis on romance.

Don clapped Danny on the shoulder then bowed his head and was quiet.

"What are ya doin'?" Danny asked slightly irritated.

Don remained silent a moment longer, then lifted his head and commented quite seriously, "I was taking a moment of silence to mourn your lost manhood."

Danny gave Don a shove, "Get outta here ya clown."

Don laughed and then asked, "Ya goin' with me to pick up Griffin?"

"Yeah, yeah, just give me a minute to put this stuff up and I wanna call home and check up on my girls," Danny affirmed.

"Alright I will wait for you downstairs and tell Linds I said hello," Don said then turned and left.

Danny sighed as he thought about Don's teasing. The irrational part of him wondered for a moment if there was any truth to it. He shook his head and allowed himself a small chuckle. 'Guys really do have a one track mind,' Danny thought. He cleaned up his work space and then pulled out his cell phone.

She picked up on the third ring.

"Hey," she greeted a little breathless.

"Hey you," he greeted back, "Why ya outta breath?"

"Oh, I ran to the phone. I was putting Lucy down for a nap and I was afraid I took to long to get to the phone and I didn't want it to go to Voicemail," Lindsay explained.

"How's she doin'?" Danny could almost hear her smile over the phone. She had already told him how adorable she thought it was that he didn't get very far into a conversation with her without asking about Lucy. Danny wasn't sure how he felt about the word adorable being applied to him, particularly with thought of his lost manhood rolling around in his head.

"She's cranky. Her temperature is up slightly probably because of the shots yesterday and she wouldn't sleep this morning. She hasn't wanted me to put her down all day. She finally just fell asleep," Lindsay related.

Danny rubbed his eyes before asking, "Ya need me to do anything?" He loved his job but sometimes he hated it because it kept him from being with them. He was a new dad and he felt like he was letting his family down by not being there to help. He was in awe of Lindsay. She was an amazing mother but he couldn't help being a little jealous at the time she got to spend with their baby girl.

"I always need you," Lindsay answered almost as if she had read his mind, "but there isn't a whole lot to be done. We are just gonna have to ride it out. She is cranky but as long as I'm holding her she seems to be doing alright."

"'K. I am going to head out with Flack. We gotta suspect to talk to and then I've gotta head to the court house for a search warrant so I will probably be unreachable for a few hours."

"Alright, hey, why don't you pick up something nice for dinner on your way home and we can maybe eat a meal together like a normal married couple," Lindsay suggested.

"Yeah that sounds nice. I shouldn't be home too late tonight. I gotta run Linds. Give Lucy a kiss for me. I love you," Danny told her. She returned the sentiment and he hung up.

Danny gave a small smile. Lindsay had told him how sorry she was for falling asleep before he got home last night despite the fact that he had told her there was nothing to apologize for. Danny couldn't shake the feeling that Lindsay felt guilty for their recent lack of sexual contact. That was ridiculous of course yet he couldn't help but think that she was taking the responsibility onto herself. He and Lindsay had only been married a short time but he knew his wife well. She had a habit of putting too much on herself. Hopefully, if thing went well tonight, they would get the chance to reconnect—to express their love intimately—and he would get to remind her that they were in this together.

***************************************************************************************************************

The sound that met Danny's ears as he entered their apartment was anything but domestic tranquility. In fact Danny was quite certain torture was a much better description. Lucy's piercing wails could transcend even concrete as Danny, standing in the front of their apartment, could clearly hear his daughter's fit from way back in their bedroom.

Danny set the bags of take out on the kitchen counter and then headed in search of his family. The closer he got to the sound the more offensive it became and Danny knew something wasn't right. Lucy cries like any baby does but he had never heard her screaming like she was now.

He quickly walked into the bedroom and found Lindsay pacing back and forth with a squirming, angry Lucy in her arms. The noise had clearly kept Lindsay from hearing him come into the apartment because she gave a surprised yelp when she saw him.

"Sorry—didn't mean to scare ya. What's goin' on?" Danny asked as he made his way over to his wife.

"I didn't hear you come in. As you can imagine Lucy's screaming is drowning out most of anything right now," Lindsay answered the frustration clear in her voice, "I'm fairly certain her tummy is hurting her. She normally doesn't have any problems when she eats but she spit up on me."

Danny motioned for her to hand the unhappy infant to him. Lucy's screaming lowered to a loud crying sound as she took in who was holding her. Once she seemed to realize it was her daddy she immediately began screaming and fussing again.

Danny couldn't help the cringe that spread across his face. He pulled Lucy in close to him and whispered calming words to her.

"She's been like this for the passed hour. Nothing I do seems to calm her down. I gave her Mylicon drops but they didn't seem to help her much," Lindsay said as she motioned towards the small bottle of medicine that was meant to help infants with upset stomachs.

"What do you think we should do? Do you think it is from the shots yesterday?" Danny asked her as he began the pacing that Lindsay had been doing previously.

"I'm not sure. Do you think I should call the doctor?" The uncertainty in her voice brought Danny up short. He would never admit this aloud but he secretly believed that when Lucy was born all kinds of 'mommy knowledge' had just suddenly formed in Lindsay's brain. Being faced with a situation where neither of them was certain of what to do was very unnerving and very scary. He could see his own anxiety reflected in her eyes.

Before either of them could comment further the sound of Lucy filling her diaper drew their attention. It was not a pleasant sound.

"Oh baby girl," Danny tried again to sooth his daughter, "I'm sorry your tummy hurts. Maybe you'll start to feel better now." Despite this prompting Lucy's cries continued. Then Danny felt a warm sensation run up his arm.

"What?" He exclaimed louder than he meant too. He pulled Lucy away from his body and sure enough he saw a yellowish-brown stain running up the back of her onesie and now up the arm of his shirt.

"Linds," he called as he motioned frantically for help.

"Oh Danny!" Lindsay exclaimed. They both scrambled to get their daughter to the bathroom. Lindsay set Lucy in the infant tub on the counter and began stripping her daughter down.

"Well I guess we can add diarrhea to the list of things bothering her," Lindsay threw over her shoulder. Danny had stripped his shirt off and threw it in the bath tub deciding to deal with it later. Right now he was too concerned with his daughter.

Lucy continued to protest loudly as Lindsay cleaned up her daughter. After she had washed her off she handed her over to Danny, who wrapped her in a towel.

"I'm going to grab another diaper while you dry her off," Lindsay informed him as she ran out of the bathroom.

Danny held his daughter close. He was actually pretty stunned at her lung capacity. He never imagined she could throw a fit for this long or at such a high decibel.

"That's some good screamin' there Luce," Danny commented as he gently ran the towel over her.

Lindsay returned with a diaper and a fresh onesie. She made quick work of redressing her daughter. Lucy's cries began to calm slightly. Lindsay held her daughter against her chest so Lucy's head was resting against her mother's shoulder. As Lucy began whimpering Danny placed his hand on her back and rubbed tenderly. They were sitting on their bed, both afraid to move since Lucy seemed to be calming down. However, she was simply preparing herself since a few moments later the sound of Lucy again filling her diaper signaled another round of screaming.

"You've got to be kidding me," Lindsay said wearily. She dropped her head down in defeat for a moment.

"I'll grab another diaper," Danny announced as he jumped off the bed.

Again Lindsay changed Lucy's diaper and for the next hour she and Danny took turns walking the floor with a bellowing Lucy.

As Danny made another turn around the living room Lindsay finished the phone call with her mom.

"Mom said she probably just has an upset stomach and it just seems worse because Lucy is normally such a good baby," Lindsay seemed less than pleased with this answer and truthfully Danny didn't care much for it either.

"Normally when she starts to fuss like this I nurse her but I am afraid to nurse her since her stomach is bothering her," Lindsay told him.

"You wanna try the pacifier again?" Danny asked. They had tried unsuccessfully a few times to get her to take it earlier.

"What can it hurt? It's not like she can scream any louder," Lindsay said dejectedly.

Danny placed the pacifier in his daughter's mouth. As expected she simply continued to bawl. Danny wrapped her blanket a little tighter around her and held the pacifier in place. Lucy fought for a few moments then surprisingly she closed her lips around the nipple. The quiet that filled the apartment was so unexpected that both Danny and Lindsay froze.

At the sudden loss of motion Lucy began to again cry. Danny held the pacifier in place and immediately began pacing again. Lucy again latched onto the pacifier.

"Don't stop moving," Lindsay commanded quietly, "Maybe she will fall asleep."

Danny didn't want to risk disturbing his silent daughter so he simply nodded. It took another two hours of Lucy's crying on and off and a few diaper changes but finally their daughter dropped into an exhausted sleep.

Lindsay was taking her turn with Lucy when they both realized that she was asleep.

"Thank goodness," Lindsay breathed. Danny watched as her shoulders sagged. He knew that the relief that came also brought a sapping of energy. He also felt immensely grateful that for the moment everything was quiet.

"Come on. Let's getta bed," Danny instructed as he guided his wife and child to their bedroom. It was nearly midnight and Danny had a feeling that it was still going to be a rather long night. He helped Lindsay lay down as she continued to hold tight to Lucy. He made sure she was comfortable then ran back out into the apartment to turn off the lights and lock the dead bolt on the door. Then he made his way back into the bedroom and soon everyone in the small family was asleep.

The long forgotten take-out was left sitting on the kitchen counter.

************************************************************************

**New babies are hard! I'm sure Danny and Lindsay will be able to handle it…**

**Thank for reading!!! Next chapter coming soon.**


	4. TimeOut

**Bringing Sexy Back**

**Time-Out**

**Special Thanks: nikhel4eva, CSINYgal, Brichen86, Adelina Chen, madhatterette, drvvh, asbestoswings, aliciums8187, twinkeyrocks, KTmac09, carly-babes11, Colie04, CSIhannah, nicson, skylar87, swfap88, LuganandReelaForever, Little Miss Messer, laurzz, JavaJunkie4evr, nkhh923, madmush, afrozenheart412, webdlfan, qwen24, court99274, and Elja. WOW! I am overwhelmed by the response to this story. I giggle like a school girl every time I think about it; a particularly Big-o thank you to those who reviewed.**

*************************************************************************

"Wow," Adam exclaimed as he saw Danny walk into the Break room, "Some one should let Sid know that one of his bodies is up and walking around."

"Ha ha," Danny said sarcastically as he went straight for the coffee.

Stella looked up from her salad and couldn't help but agree with Adam's assessment, "Hey Danny, you do look a little zombie like. Is everything alright?" she asked with concern.

Danny poured himself a cup of coffee—strong—then turned and faced his co-workers.

He knew his eyes were red and half open, not to mention the dark circles under them and the weary expression he was wearing.

"Just the joys of parenthood; Lucy was up and down all night with a stomach ache and Lindsay and I didn't get much sleep," he explained for what he was sure was going to be the first time of several.

"Oh poor baby," Stella sympathized, "Is she feeling better today?"

"Yeah, Lindsay was finally able to get her to eat around 3 this morning and thankfully she didn't puke it back up. She slept pretty solid from about 3:30 to 6—which is about the only sleep Linds and I got. She was still pretty cranky when I left this morning but at least she wasn't screamin' her head off anymore," Danny conveyed. Adam looked at him with a slightly uncomfortable expression and Stella couldn't help the compassion in her eyes. He knew his fellow overworked CSIs understood the feelings of exhaustion and fatigue but this was different. It wasn't just the lack of sleep; it was also the emotions and stress he and Lindsay went through as their tiny daughter suffered. It was the anxiety and fear that something was seriously wrong with her and they wouldn't know how to help her. Despite his desperation for sleep any time he would close his eyes he couldn't fight the worry that would invade his mind and after a few moments of dosing he would jerk awake to check on Lucy. Danny truly felt drained.

"And how about Lindsay?" Stella inquired.

"She's tired. I'm hopin' she gets a chance to sleep. Fingers crossed Lucy gives her a break today," Danny then actually chuckled, "Why is it murders, thieves, kidnappers, rapists and the like we can handle but give us a 6 week old and we are practically wiped out?"

Adam laughed loudly at that question absolutely delighted at the image of an infant baby taking out two NYPD cops, and then quickly sobered at the look Stella threw him.

"Probably because you can leave all of the other stuff at work but your baby girl is a full time deal. You and Lindsay are gonna do just fine Danny. You've already done a great job so far. So just take a deep breath and remember you guys are the Messer family. You don't mess with the Messers," Stella bolstered.

Danny gave Stella a genuine smile before saying, "Don't mess with the Messers huh? I like dat. Thanks Stell."

"No problem kiddo and if you and Lindsay need a little break then remember that Aunt Stella is a very eager babysitter," Stella informed him as she threw an arm over his shoulders.

"That is a dangerous offer," Danny teased her, "but I am not gonna let you take it back." He put a cap on his disposable coffee cup and headed towards the morgue to hear the results of the autopsy on Mr. Parham.

As the elevator opened Danny came face to face with Don Flack.

"Hey Danno, goin' down?" Don asked as he moved over to allow for Danny to enter the lift.

"Yeah, morgue," Danny said simply.

"Me too," Don shot back and noticed the haggard look of his friend. Danny leaned against the wall of the elevator, closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of nose.

"Wild night?" Don needled with a smirk.

"Oh you know it. Lindsay got puked on, I got crapped on, and the good times just kept coming," Danny answered without opening his eyes. He really wasn't in the mood to see the look on Don's face.

Don, for his part, did all he could to not frown at the idea of getting pooped on. He found the thought so troubling any further teasing ceased. When they reached their destination Don allowed Danny to exit first then waited for a moment and once Danny was out of ear shot let out a "Bleh" and gave a disgusted shiver.

Danny knew what was going through his friend's mind. It was the same thing that would have been going through his before he became a father. 'Who knew?' Danny thought, 'I've found a way to shut Don Flack up.' Danny made a mental note to store that information away for future use.

"Hey Sid, I heard you've got some results for me," Danny called out to the older M.E.

Sid looked up from the body he was draping a sheet over and motioned for the younger detective to join him.

"Here we are, Mr. Parham, nothing surprising to discover. He died of a gun shot wound to the chest but I did think his stomach contents would help establish where he spent the evening," Sid answered as he handed the results to Danny.

As Danny looked over the report Sid took a moment to look over the new father.

"Rough night?" He asked simply.

Danny looked up at him, "Huh?"

"You look a little…" Sid trailed off as he waved a hand vaguely in front of his face.

"Oh, yeah I know. Zombie like," Danny finished for him then explained what happened the night before.

"I remember those days," Sid empathized, "just wait until she starts teething. That's when the real fun begins. Fever, drooling, crying…

"Thanks Sid," Danny said abruptly and rather unconvincingly.

"Just remember you and Lindsay are a team. Make sure and keep that connection. It was the only thing that got my wife and me through it," Sid advised.

Danny simply nodded and tried again to focus on the report.

Sid continued, "Intimacy is so important in a marriage. Kids can sometimes make it difficult but you definitely want to make sure you guys find the time for each other."

Sid seemed lost in thought for a moment and Danny began to have a very distinct uncomfortable feeling.

"It can be particularly difficult after childbirth. A woman can really struggle with sexual contact. Their biology is fighting against them _and_ us," Sid used his hands to demonstrate two forces in battle, "Sex is all we can think about and sex is the last thing they want to think about."

'Oh please let a fire alarm go off or somethin'' Danny pleaded silently. He was definitely afraid of where this was heading.

"I remember after my first was born my wife refused to let me touch her for nearly 6 months. Oh we did some stuff but not the 'full Monty' so to speak till our daughter was nearly 9 months old. Which reminds me; KY jelly, you'll thank me later," Sid remarked looking at Danny pointedly, "Some women go an entire year before they start to get their sex drive back. Oh and don't forget breastfeeding is not a form of contraceptive," he finished.

After a moment of silence a disgruntled Danny regained his ability to speak.

"Wow Sid. You have officially creeped me the hell out. Can we just talk about the case please?" he pleaded.

"Oh, right," Sid clicked his signature classes together on his nose and together they discussed the findings of the autopsy.

************************************************************************

Danny did his best to fight off another yawn as he tried to finish going through his notes for a court hearing tomorrow. He had reread the same paragraph about four times and had yet to actually pay attention. He squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed them vigorously with the palms of his hands.

"Hey Danny you finished with the Delmore DNA?" Mac asked as he entered Danny and Lindsay's shared office.

Danny blinked over exaggeratedly to clear his vision before answering, "Yeah, Adam's got the results and is passin' 'em off to Detective Harper so they can get a warrant for the brother's home."

Mac shook his head in understanding and then paused giving Danny a stern look, "Why don't you finish up with your notes and then head home?"

Danny for a moment believed his exhaustion was causing him to hear things but quickly realized Mac was actually suggesting he go home early.

"You sure?" Danny wondered.

"Yeah, we've got things covered here and I'm sure you would appreciate a little extra time at home with your family," Mac assured him.

"Wow, thanks Mac. I really appreciate it. To tell you the truth I could do with a break after last night…" Danny trailed off as he considered the man standing in front of him, "Did Lindsay call you?" Danny suddenly wanted to know. He and Lindsay had agreed to do the best they could to keep their family life separate from the job. They didn't want to ever be accused of not doing their best and Danny didn't want any special treatment.

Mac's hesitation and slight feet shuffle answered Danny's question, "She did, didn't she?" he asked indignant.

"No, _she_ didn't call me. It's Thursday and I call every Thursday to check on my goddaughter. Lindsay had to tell me about last night. I am not giving you special treatment here Danny. I am trying to keep an exhausted CSI from wearing himself out. I need you at your best and today Danny you are too tired to be your best. Just take this chance and go home a little early. Besides you've had an 8 hour day already so technically you've put in a full day," Mac reminded him.

Danny nodded, "Ya right Mac. I think goin' home to see my girls is a great idea. Thank you."

"No problem, now get out of here and get some rest. Lucy promised her godfather she would be on her best behavior tonight," Mac told him with a smile.

Danny shared a smile with him. He knew he was going to make a lot of mistakes as a father but he was happy to know that he and Lindsay made a great choice when they asked Mac to be Lucy's godfather. The formidable former Marine cared greatly for their daughter and Danny was truly touched by that.

"Goodnight Danny," Mac called as he walked out of the Messer's office.

"Nite Mac," Danny replied and began gathering his things to leave for home.

************************************************************************

The quiet that met Danny's ears as he entered their apartment was both pleasing and disconcerting. Danny wanted to believe that everything was ok but he was also concerned that it was the calm before the storm.

He softly set his bag down and turned the lock on the door. A quick look around showed that the living room was empty. Danny walked towards the kitchen and called out in a whisper, "Lindsay?"

"Right here," she said to him. Danny spun around and watched as a smiling Lindsay came out of the hall carrying a laundry basket of clothes. She set the basket down on the couch and walked up to Danny.

"Mac let you leave early?" she asked as she wound her arms around his neck.

"Yeah," Danny breathed as he pulled his wife close.

"He's a good godfather," she whispered into his neck.

"I was thinking that too," Danny told her.

Lindsay jumped up and wrapped her legs around her husband. He immediately responded by locking his arms around her to support her.

"Hello," he said.

"I've missed you," Lindsay responded and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"I've missed you," Danny shot back before deepening the kiss.

"Lucy is sound asleep and you're home early. Think you want to join me in the bedroom so we can start missing each other less?" Lindsay teased him.

"You want to? But Sid said…"

"Sid?" Lindsay interrupted.

"Never mind," Danny shook his. He was _not_ going to think of Sid Hammerback at a time like this.

Lindsay giggled at him before saying, "Make tracks cowboy!"

Exhaustion forgotten, a very eager Danny Messer carried his wife to their bedroom.

************************************************************************

**Yeah for Danny! It's finally going to happen…**

**no…**

**probably not. **

**We'll just have to wait and see!**

**Thanks for reading!!!**


	5. Strike 3 You're Out

**Brining Sexy Back**

**Strike 3—You're Out!**

**Author's Note: This chapter is rated M. This is my first and last attempt at that kind of rating but I really felt it was necessary to convey the story I am trying to tell. If you don't want to read the M rated stuff then please skip to the next chapter and I will give a summary at the beginning for you. This was quite a challenge for me to write but I hope it works—in the future I'm definitely gonna leave the good ole' smutty stuff for the pros (you know who you are—laurzz, GRACE5 etc.) to write ;)**

**Special thanks to: carly-babes11, gwen24, swfap88, nicson, laurzz, afrozenheart412, Elja, LME, TruLuv, PintSizeGenius, FoxPhile, Jacoblover16, Javajunk123; Especially those who reviewed!**

****************************************************************************

Danny gently laid Lindsay down on their bed. He grinned at her, pulled his shirt off, and climbed over her careful not to put his weight on her. He kissed and nibbled at her neck as he felt her fingernails softly graze his sides. He slid one hand under her shirt and rested it on her stomach as his thumb stroked her skin.

Lindsay pulled Danny's head up and brought him down for a kiss. She ran her tongue along his lips and Danny immediately responded by allowing her access. The moan that erupted from her throat sent shivers through Danny's body. He grabbed the hem of her shirt and began pulling it off. He stopped when he felt her hands on his. He threw her a questioning look.

"The lights," Lindsay said.

"What?" Danny's asked since the lust induced fog was making it difficult to concentrate.

"The lights; turn them off please," Lindsay instructed.

"Why? I like lookin' at you," Danny complained.

"Danny, I don't…" Lindsay trailed off in frustration, "…not tonight. Just do it, OK?"

"Fine," he grumbled as he jumped off the bed and flipped the light off.

He moved back to Lindsay lying next to her—facing her. The moonlight filtered in through the window and he could see her beautiful skin. He cupped the side of her face with his hand and pulled her in for another kiss. He breathed her in. He hand missed this. He had missed their intimacy. He had missed hearing her moan and whisper his name.

Lindsay hooked a leg over his hips and then rolled them both over so Danny was lying on his back and Lindsay was lying on him. This gave Danny the access necessary to pull her shirt off. He sat up, allowing the two lovers to embrace fully. For a moment they sat with their arms around each other just enjoying the contact of their skin. Soon that wasn't enough though. Danny's expert hands unclipped Lindsay's bra and tossed it aside. His mouth moved from her neck to the valley between her breasts. Lindsay moaned again and ran her hand through his hair.

Danny flipped them again so she was lying down. This permitted him the mobility to move over her body. One hand came up and gently began massaging one breast.

Lindsay made an odd sound. It wasn't a sound of pain but it also wasn't one of pleasure either. Danny couldn't see her face clearly in the dark but then he realized what the problem was. He pulled his hand back and realized it was wet. Then he flinched back suddenly when he felt wetness hit him in the face.

"What the fu…"

Danny was interrupted as he felt Lindsay push him off her and jump off the bed.

"Oh Danny, I'm sorry," Lindsay threw at him as she searched around franticly.

"Did you just shoot me with…boob milk?" Danny asked amazed as he wiped his face off with his dry hand. Danny again climbed off the bed and grabbed a distressed Lindsay by the shoulders, "what are you doin'?" He asked her.

"When you touched my boob my…ah…my milk let down," Lindsay stuttered, "I think it will be ok if I can just get my nursing bra back on," Lindsay told him the embarrassment clear in her voice.

Danny allowed his hands to fall from her shoulders, down her arms and took her hands in his. He silently led her back to the bed and sat her down. He then turned and since his eyes had adjusted to the darkness was able to spot her bra. He bent down and grabbed it then made his way around the bed.

He crawled up and kneeled behind her. He lowered the bra in front of her much the way he would have a necklace. Lindsay put her arms through the straps and Danny clasped it together. He then moved her hair over one shoulder and kissed her back.

"You aren't…disgusted?" Lindsay asked him hesitantly.

Disgusted probably wasn't the right word to describe how Danny felt. Unsure was probably more accurate. He had never been with a woman who had to deal with something shooting out of her breast before. He wasn't quite sure how to proceed. What he did know was that Lindsay was feeling extremely self-conscious and he needed to be smart.

"Babe, yesterday I had poop runnin' up my arm, Lucy has spit up on me a few times in the passed 6 weeks, and not to mention—and I hope you don't take this the wrong way because it was a beautiful thing seein' my daughter born; greatest moment of my life—but what it actually looked like when she came out…" Danny gave an over exaggerated shudder, "You think a little milk to the face is goin' to turn me off?"

Lindsay couldn't help the giggle that escaped.

"You, darlin' wife, are somethin' I can't get enough of," he emphasized his point by pulling her tightly against him and allowing her to feel exactly how un-disgusted he felt.

"You're beautiful."

He kissed her shoulder.

"You're sexy."

He kissed her other shoulder.

"You are on hot momma," Danny growled into her ear before he took it in his mouth and sucked gently.

Lindsay turned to face him and with a smile kissed his toned stomach. Her little hands made quick work of his belt and then the button of his jeans. She gave him a slight push and Danny fell back onto the bed. Together they shimmied him out of his pants leaving him in only his boxers; the evidence of his arousal clear.

Lindsay crawled her way up his body placing light kisses as she went. Danny was the one who couldn't suppress the moan this time as he felt her warmth move over him. She straddled him and her nimble fingers danced over his chest, then his stomach, then one hand slipped under the waist-band of his underwear.

Danny sucked in breath as he felt her fingertips skim just above his shaft.

"I gotta warn ya Linds," Danny grounded out through gritted teeth as Lindsay continued to tease him, "Ya keep that up and we are going to be done before we even get started."

Lindsay laughed at him then leaned down and licked one of his nipples. Sensations shot through Danny. He rocked his hips and decided he needed to take control. He wanted to come inside her and if he left her to do as she pleased that wasn't going to happen.

He rolled them over and pinned her beneath him. Lindsay huffed at him clearly disappointed at the loss of power, "I was enjoying that," she whined at him.

"So was I," he confirmed, "too much. Now hush up and let me get ya pants off."

"Oh Danny you have such a way with words," Lindsay commented dryly.

Danny smirked but didn't respond. He simply began to work on pulling her sweat pants off her. Deciding that action was better he went ahead and pulled off her panties and his boxers as well.

"Eager?" Lindsay gibed.

"Woman you have no idea," Danny answered distracted. He was now way too focused on her legs. He started with her foot and kissed her arch. He hooked one leg over his arm and kissed her knee then her thigh. He was slowly moving closer to her center. Lindsay sat up and again tugged him upwards to her face so she could kiss him.

"I really like kissing you," she confessed. Danny responded by deepening the kiss. His hand traveled down her body to see if she was ready for him. He slowly slipped one finger inside her. She winced slightly because she still wasn't very wet.

Danny pulled back from the kiss, "More foreplay?" he asked his voice strained. He wasn't quite sure how much longer he was going to be able to hold out.

"I don't think it will help. I think we…uh…I need a little help," she informed him and even though he couldn't see her he could well imagine the blush that was spreading across her face.

Danny grunted. He had never had a problem turning on a girl before—especially Lindsay. They had always had a pretty intense love life. Danny had to fight down the instinct to look at this like a challenge and try to prove to her and himself that he could get her hot and heavy all on his own. If he was going to get any tonight was going to have to accept that it wasn't an insult to his skills.

Lindsay shuffled over a little and opened the draw to the table next to the bed. She pulled out a condom and a bottle of KY jelly.

"That's my girl. Always prepared," Danny boasted. Lindsay handed him the bottle while she opened the condom.

"So…uh…I've never used this stuff before. How should I apply it exactly?" asked Danny as Lindsay slipped the condom onto him.

She looked up at him and shrugged, "I don't know. I've never used it before either. What does the bottle say?"

"Oh good grief," groaned Danny. He was not about to get out of bed and turn the light on so he could read the instructions on the bottle of lubricant.

"Look," Lindsay asserted, "it can't be too complicated. Just spread it around down there."

"Oh Lindsay you have such a way with words," Danny shot back at her as he squeezed some of the jelly onto two fingers. He applied some to the lips of her vagina and then push further in. Lindsay winced slightly causing Danny's head to shoot up.

"A'right?"

"Yeah, sorry, it was just a little cold," Lindsay replied.

"Oh, sorry," Danny responded sheepishly. He should have thought about that.

"It's fine," Lindsay told him, "Come 'ere. I want your body on mine."

Danny immediately covered her body with his. He again began kissing her body; her neck, her ears, her eyes and finally her mouth. As he was kissing her he slowly slid into her body.

He froze when he heard Lindsay hiss faintly.

"It's OK," she assured him.

"You sure?" Danny asked.

"Yeah keep going."

Danny pushed a little further then pulled out again. He felt Lindsay's fingers dig into his arm.

"Lindsay?" Danny questioned.

"It just hurts a little bit. I probably just have to get used to you again," Lindsay explained, "try again."

Danny wasn't so sure about this, "Look, Linds let's try with you on top. That will take some pressure off ya and you can control how deep I go 'K?"

Lindsay nodded against his neck and they quickly switched positions. Lindsay placed him at her entrance and then slowly slid down. Danny couldn't help the bolt of feeling that shot through his body. He tried desperately to concentrate on Lindsay but was quickly loosing control as she began rocking back and forth on him. Sensation after sensation began washing over Danny. He brought one hand to where they were joined and began stimulating her clit.

"Wait," she said suddenly.

"You…a'right?" he was able to croak out. He looked at her face and could see her eyes were squeezed shut.

"Linds? Talk to me," Danny said concerned.

"I'm sorry…it's just…never mind," she stammered and began moving again.

Danny grabbed her hips and swallowed hard, "Is it still hurtin'?"

Lindsay began shaking her head no but slowly began nodding yes.

"Dammit Lindsay," Danny barked immediately sitting up and lifting her slightly so he could pull out fully.

"Sorry," she murmured.

"Why the hell didn't you say somethin'?" Danny asked angrily, "Do you have any idea how terrible it feels to know I was hurtin' you? Why did you keep goin' huh? Come on Lindsay tell me." Danny badgered her, his voice rising.

"I didn't want to disappoint you; you jerk," Lindsay shot back just as upset, "Look just forget it."

"Forget it?!" Danny asked incredulous.

Lindsay scrambled out of the bed, "Yeah forget it and forget sex. This was a disaster. Obviously something got mess up. I am now messed up!" she shouted and stormed into the bathroom slamming the door shut.

Not surprising a wail erupted from the baby monitor. Danny took a deep breath to try and calm his frustrations before he rolled out of bed, threw away the condom and pulled on his discarded boxers and went to check on Lucy.

Right now no one in the Messer family was happy.

***********************************************************************

**Why can't life just be easy?!**

**I swear help for them is on the way!**


	6. Except It Isn't a Game

**Brining Sexy Back**

**Except this isn't a game**

_**Summary of previous M rated chapter for those who skipped it: Danny and Lindsay attempt a session of love making but are forced to deal with insecurities, leaky boobs, lack of sexual response and finally discomfort. In other words the attempt failed. Now I bet everyone who read the last chapter is asking themselves why they wasted the time when they could have just read the summary. LOL!**_

************************************************************************

Lindsay heard her daughter's cries. She heard her husband's sigh and the creak of the bed as he got up. She heard all of this from the bathroom floor. She had wrapped her bathrobe around her body. She wanted to hide. She wanted to lock the door and just curl up in a ball on the floor. She wanted to be alone; except she wasn't alone any more. She was a wife now. She was a mom now.

Sluggishly Lindsay pulled herself up and out of the bathroom. She needed to make sure her daughter wasn't hungry. She peeked into the nursery. Danny was standing over the crib rubbing Lucy's belly and speaking calm words to her. He sent her a look when he heard her approach. He shook his head to indicate she wasn't needed this time. Apparently Lucy just needed a kind pat and the assurance that her parents were near.

Lindsay softly walked out of the nursery and into the kitchen. She stood aimlessly for a moment and then found herself sitting in a chair at the table.

She pulled her robe tighter around her body but knew that wouldn't fight the cold that she felt. She couldn't stop her embarrassment and disappointment from overwhelming her. She threw her arms on the kitchen table and then rested her head on them. And Lindsay Messer began to cry.

That was how Danny found her a few minutes later. He had heard her sobbing when he left the nursery and immediately went to her. Danny knelt down next her resting one arm on the table and placing his hand on her back. He tenderly rubbed circles in an attempt to comfort her.

"Lindsay honey come'er," he said to her softly.

Lindsay shook her head no and continued to cry.

"Linds babe at least look at me," Danny pleaded.

"No," came the muffled reply.

"Why not?"

"I'm too embarrassed," she whispered raising her head slightly.

"I'm embarrassed too but are we really going to hide from each other?" Danny pushed. Lindsay reluctantly lifted her head. Danny's heart broke at the look of her tear stained face. He reached out and wiped her tears then pulled a chair up and sat next to her. "Look, I know we are both exhausted and cranky and emotional but I really think we should talk about this," Danny implored.

"What's there to talk about? We had sex, I got pregnant, I had a baby and now we will never have sex again," Lindsay said dejectedly.

"Linds…"

"No, Danny. The nine months I was pregnant I dealt with nausea, bleeding, back aches, hip aches, leg aches, constipation, hemorrhoids, exhaustion, bloating, cravings, weight gain, constant urination, sore breasts, hormones and a complete inability to _ever_ be comfortable. Then at the end of all of that I get to push a baby the size of a watermelon out of something the size of a grapefruit. Oh and that 'something' by the way isn't normally the size of a grapefruit. No, the muscles were stretched and pulled so they could accommodate your child—oh and by the way I get to do that while a room full of strangers stare at me—and at the end of all that," Lindsay was now gesturing wildly with her arms, "I get to deal with what can only be described as the 6 week period from hell. It is impossible to feel fresh and clean. This, as you can only imagine since you are a man and never have to deal with it directly, is not a lot of fun. When that finally stops I am still left to deal with leaky breasts. My breasts used to be perky dammit," Lindsay cried.

"I still like your breasts," Danny assured her.

Lindsay groaned, "I know and that is part of the problem. I feel like all I do all day is whip out a boob so I can feed Lucy. The idea of spending any more time focused on my boobs is depressing. I literally do not want you to touch them. It's not fair Danny. You get to keep your hot sexy body that young cute lab tech can ogle while my body has the weirdest shape ever. I have a flabby stomach and wide hips now. I want my old body back. I feel awkward and uncomfortable right now. I feel about as unsexy as I possibly could."

"Then why did you…"

"Because," Lindsay cut him off, "I wanted to be close to you. I feel like all I am now is Lucy's mom. I love being her mom but I want you too. Not to mention you have been so wonderful Danny. I know we have our ups and downs and we have some hard times a head of us but you are an amazing father and an extraordinary husband. You have been so patient but lately you've been looking at me like I was a pitcher of water in a desert. I want to be with you but I don't want to have sex and I know that disappoints you and that is really hard for me to deal with. I am just so tired Danny. I want to be a good wife, I want to be a good mom, I want to be a good CSI but I don't know how to do all three at once. Oh yeah and while all of that is going through my head I am still left dealing with hormones. I feel like everything is spinning out of control and all I am doing is letting the people I love down. I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want you to think I am a bad mom or that I can't handle it. I loved being pregnant. I don't regret having Lucy. I love her more than my own life. I love our life together but I guess I am just feeling really overwhelmed," Lindsay finished sadly staring at the floor.

Danny reached out a lifted her head so she was looking at him directly, "I love you."

Lindsay blinked at him.

"I want ya to know that. I have a lot to tell ya and I have a lot I want ya to know but I think tonight is not the time," Danny said as he watched Lindsay yawn and then had to fight his own, "So I will just tell ya that I love everything about you. I know that is hard for you to believe right now and I am gonna take care of that too but for tonight I am just gonna tell ya I love you. I know tonight didn't work out the way either of us wanted and I am not sure how we fix that yet. To tell you the truth my brain has probably shut off and you and I are runnin' on fumes at the moment. I promise I will think about this and we will come up with a plan together. This family is the most important thing in my life. It is who I am and we are not gonna fail Lindsay."

Emotions again began to overwhelm her and Danny watched as a few tears escaped down her cheek. Lindsay swallowed hard a few times before choking out, "I love you too Danny."

"Now come on. Let's get in bed and let me hold you," Danny advised as he pulled her up. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and she wrapped hers around his waist. He placed a kiss on her forehead after she rested it on his shoulder.

True to his word after they climbed into bed he pulled her close and simply held her. She cried onto his chest and Danny spoke words of love and comfort until he had soothed her to sleep.

Danny wasn't far from sleep himself as the last 48 hours finally caught up with him but he couldn't help the revelations that came to him. He was finally starting to understand the enormity of his responsibilities now. He was a husband and a father. They needed him and relied on him. It was very scary and even a little overwhelming but Danny knew that being with his family was the greatest reward he would ever have in this life. Danny snuggled closer to his wife.

He wanted to help Lindsay and tomorrow he was going to figure out how. That was his last thought as he finally closed his eyes to sleep.

************************************************************************

**Communication is the key people!**

**Yea! There is hope for them (like any of us doubted it ;)**

**Next chapter find out who Danny is going to get advice from…I think it might surprise you.**

**Time to celebrate fellow devotees; just found out from Amazon that my CSI:NY Season 5 DVDs are supposed to be shipped between June 30-July 13! WOO HOO!**

**Thanks for reading!!!**


	7. Thanks Coach

**Bringing Sexy Back**

**Thanks Coach**

**By: ioanhoratio**

**Author's note: So apparently stories are a lot like children the moment I start paying attention to one the other decides it wants it and visa versa. I was going to finish **_**Taking the Reins**_** when suddenly this story demanded to be added to. As always keep in mind this is a story about life after baby…things can get a little descriptive. So enjoy!**

**Special thanks to: Colie04, maggiegurl, Jacoblover16, laurzz, IluvPeterPetrelli, TBD, carly-babes11, swfap88, Brinchen86, tutorgirl86, nicson, Dawni, afrozenheart412, JavaJunkie4evr, wheat100, aussietasha, Elja, Dylan Shelby, qwen24, Javajunkie123, McGem, dannylucylindsay09, mpatrico09, JESSMARY25, Baby Jefer, Saderia, madmush, and aunttuda. Again a particular thank you to those who reviewed!!!**

****************************************************************************

'I can do this,' Danny thought, 'it is just a conversation with a member of the medical profession. No big deal,' he reasoned with himself. It was either this or going to talk to Sid. Danny couldn't suppress the shudder that went through his body at that prospect so instead he squared his shoulders and pushed the door open that led to trace.

"Hey Doc," He greeted his friend with a hand on the shoulder.

"Hey Danny," Sheldon replied back, "Take a look at this."

Danny leaned in and adjusted the lens of the microscope slightly before asking, "What is that?"

"Haven't a clue," Sheldon responded his voice airy, "We found it under the fingernails of our vic."

"Hmm," Danny grunted with a frown, "what were the results of the analysis?"

"Waiting on them now," Hawkes told him and then asked, "Did you guys get any further with the Parham case?"

"Yeah, yeah, uh…Stella figured out that the store owner was hidin' an unregistered handgun and that he over reacted because of a few break-ins earlier this month. He shot Parham by accident so he concocted a story about a gang robbin' him," Danny explained distractedly. He was trying to figure out how to broach the subject he wanted to discuss with his friend when the opportunity presented itself.

"When will people realize that the evidence never lies?" Sheldon wondered allowed. Then shaking his head he changed the subject asking a question Danny heard quite often, "So how are Lindsay and Lucy doing?"

Danny placed his hands on his hips before answering, "Oh ya know, Lucy is growin' too fast and Linds is…ya know."

At Danny's lame answer Sheldon turned to look at him fully, "Every thing's all right, right?"

"Every thing's fine," Danny returned quickly, "I'm just sayin' Lindsay is uh…ya know a new mom. You know what that's like right?" he asked off handedly and then added in a much more serious tone, "right?"

The look of confusion on Hawkes' face was apparent, "Do I know what it is like for a new mom?"

"Yeah, I mean, I know you don't have any kids…"

"And not a woman," Sheldon shot in skeptically.

"Right," Danny confirmed then cleared his throat uncomfortably, "I just mean that, ya know, as a doctor you know a little about what she is goin' through, right?" he finished hopeful.

Sheldon watched as Danny shifted a few times and then brought his arm up and folded them across his chest. Hawkes could see the blush spreading across his face and the doctor realized that Danny was in need of some medical guidance and he would guess by the discomfort in Danny's stance and slight inability to look Sheldon in the eyes that it was of a personal nature.

Sheldon immediately went into doctor mode and was about to do his best to alleviate Danny's unease when the formula N(e)Rd flashed in his mind. He never did get Danny back for that little joke.

Unaware of the thoughts running through his friend's mind Danny began to worry that he was going to have to actually say something like, "So are we ever gonna be able to have sex again?" Thankfully Hawkes seemed to finally understand what Danny was getting at.

"Oh you mean what she is going through medically?" Hawkes clarified.

"Yeah, medically," Danny affirmed relieved he wasn't going to have to ask directly.

Sheldon watched as a bit of the distress left Danny's face and had to fight a grin, 'Oh this is gonna be fun,' Hawkes thought.

"Well, as I'm sure you know," Hawkes began, "After 6 weeks her uterus is about back to normal."

Danny coughed slightly.

"You alright?" Hawkes needled innocently.

"Sure, sorry, continue," Danny recovered quickly.

"Well, as I was saying, the uterus is almost back to pre-pregnancy size and usually the mom is done dealing with Lochia, which is bloody discharge after birth, where the body expels the lining of the womb," Hawkes knew he was going into greater detail than was necessary but watching Danny rock back and forth as he tried to appear at ease with this conversation was almost more than Hawkes could bare. He swiftly rubbed a hand over his mouth to hide his chuckle.

"Mmhmm," Danny mumbled while nodding his head.

"Of course right after birth most mom's suffer from engorged breasts which can be rather painful but that usually goes away after a few days however it is not uncommon for breasts to expel or leak milk involuntarily…"

"Ha, I know about that one," Danny cried triumphantly pointing his finger at Hawkes then realizing what he said slowly lowered his hand and awkwardly cleared his throat again.

'Oh this is just too easy,' Hawkes thought delighted, and then continued out loud, "Right, well breastfeeding can also lead to sore or cracked nipples."

Danny grimaced at the idea. Hawkes smiled inwardly, 'He is gonna love this part.'

"Also new moms suffer from low estrogen. Breastfeeding moms, in particular, can have low estrogen levels for months after the baby is born," Hawkes paused. He could see the slight confusion on Danny's face.

Danny muttered, "Low estrogen levels, right…right." Then slightly louder he added, "And…ah…low estrogen can led ta…um…what exactly?"

Hawkes was just about giddy. For a moment he almost felt sorry for Danny…almost.

"Well," Hawkes commenced, "when estrogen levels are normal, sexual arousal leads to secretion of a lubricating liquid from the walls of the vagina; when they're low, less lubrication can lead to chafing and irritation. In addition, many women find their sex drive and arousal response to be diminished after having a baby, although it isn't clear whether this is due to exhaustion or hormonal changes. Fatigue is the most common factor among new moms and most go months with out any sexual desire."

"Months?" Danny squeaked out.

"And in some instances over a year," Hawkes confirmed. The look on Danny's face gave Hawkes the impression that if they were in a horror film his words would have been followed by a flash of lighting, a loud crack of thunder and maniacal laughter.

"Oh Danny, man, I'm sorry," Hawkes laughed out, "I couldn't resist messin' with ya man. You look like you're about to have a heart attack."

"Hawkes," Danny cried indignant, "Ya can't joke about that! I mean…hell man, ya tryin' to freak me out? Ya know, more than I already am?"

Hawkes wiped the tears from his eyes and answered, "Sorry but it was just too good of an opportunity."

"Yeah, Yeah, laugh it up," Danny grumbled, "You my friend are evil."

"O.K. seriously dude," Hawkes said as regained control, "What is it you want to know about. Obviously something is bothering you and I swear this time I'll help any way I can. Dr. Hawkes is in."

Danny eyed him wearily but he could tell Hawkes was sincere. He took a breath then tentatively said, "I'm a little worried about Lindsay."

Sheldon nodded his head and asked, "In what way? Anything in particular?"

"I'm not sure exactly," Danny hesitated, "I mean she hasn't really said anything but I think she is a little down."

"Depressed?" Sheldon inquired.

"Nah, I don't think so," Danny sort of shrugged, "Just a little not herself maybe."

"Well most moms go through the baby blues," Sheldon explained, "Mood swings, crying, that kind of thing. Have you noticed anything more serious than that? Like is it hard for her to get out of bed, difficult to find interest in Lucy or long jags of crying?"

"Nah, nothin' like that," the very prospect of Lindsay going through that terrified Danny.

"Good, it doesn't sound like she is suffering from Postpartum Depression," Sheldon diagnosed, "but that doesn't mean that you are wrong to worry. I don't have to tell you how overwhelming a new baby can be."

Danny nodded his head vigorously at that.

"Physically, emotionally, mentally it can be exhausting. And if I know Lindsay, she is probably over extending herself trying to keep everyone happy and to prove herself. My advice as a doctor is plenty of rest and relaxation. Take things slowly and be sure to communicate with each other and if you don't see an improvement or if things get worse don't wait to get help. Postpartum Depression is very real and very serious. My advice as a friend is to get a babysitter and take your wife out for a break. You guys will find a routine and things will get more comfortable. Getting used to a new person who depends on you for everything is difficult but it does get a little easier as she gets older and is better able to interact," Hawkes assured him.

Danny mulled over what they had discussed then said, "Thanks Doc. I guess I just needed to hear that what we are dealing with is normal. I can't believe how much I worry about 'em."

Sheldon smiled at him and patted him on the back, "I know you and I don't always see eye to eye on things but I want you to know Danny that I am really proud to have you as a friend. I think you are working hard at being a good husband and a father. And the fact that you are so worried and are seeking help and advice shows that you really are the best man for the job."

"Who? Me?" Danny asked embarrassed, "What'd I do? Between the two of us Lindsay is the one who deserves your praise."

"Oh she's got it," Sheldon added quickly, "but don't sell yourself short Danny. There are plenty of guys out there who turn and run at the sight of diapers. Anyone who talks to you can tell that you love Lindsay and Lucy and are proud to be a part of their lives. Being Lucy's daddy is obviously important to you."

Danny couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. Lucy was a tiny, helpless, crying, eating, sleeping, pooping, spitting, expensive creature and Danny absolutely adored her. He loved being called 'Lucy's Daddy.'

"I am pretty lucky," he agreed his voice slightly gravelly, "thanks again Doc for the help."

"Anytime. If you've got any medical question I can help with or just need a friend I'm there for you," Hawkes offered, "Although you know who you should really talk to?"

"Who?" Danny wondered.

"Sid," Hawkes said simply.

Danny just groaned.

************************************************************************

**Poor Danny…and he was **_**so**_** desperate to avoid talking to Sid.**

**Well parenthood is about sacrifice. I wonder what pearls of wisdom Dr. Hammerback will bestow up our hero… ;) **


	8. Pep Talk

**Bringing Sexy Back**

**Pep Talk**

**Author's note: A short interlude between Danny and Lindsay.**

**Special Thanks to: Jmc715, Kerber1920, browner864, laurzz, afrozenheart412, Jacoblover16, jordinajamaica, Colie04, Dylan Shelby, carly-babes11, Brinchen86, abbelovesdannymesser, asbestoswings, gwen24, Baby Jefer—particularly those who reviewed!**

****************************************************************************

Danny was going to do this. He was absolutely going to do this. He stood outside the corner's office and watched as Sid danced around the most recent murder victim. Danny was a pretty private person but then again so was Lindsay and she had suffered a lot more privacy invasion than Danny ever could imagine. Being pregnant meant your body was no longer your own. She had doctors, nurses, lab techs all taking a peek at her for the passed nine months—not to mention the delivery; talk about loss of privacy. Danny shuddered at the thought of being so exposed. Yet she had done it for him and for Lucy and for their family. So he was going to go in there and ask for advice of a personal nature from a man who had experience in this department. It wasn't going to stop him that the man in question was currently sticking his hands into the chest of a corpse and with glee on his face examining the heart. No, that was not going to stop Daniel Messer.

Except it did give him pause.

As he stood outside the morgue working up the courage to go in there his phone rang.

"Messer," Danny answered distractedly.

"Oh the pet names you have for me," Lindsay giggled, "I was at least hoping for a 'Hey, Honey."

"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention," Danny's voice playful, "If I had known it was you I would have answered with My Darling Wife."

"Right," her disbelief carrying through the phone.

"Never mind that," Danny continued, "I am so glad you called." He knew a few moments of conversation with her would help him remember why doing this was so important.

"Really?" Lindsay asked eagerly, "Why? What's up?"

"Nothin' I just get stuck at work. I start missin' ya and Luce and then Boom ya call. I just love dat is all," Danny assured her. He wasn't quite sure how Lindsay would feel about him discussing their personal life with those at work. He knew he would have to tell her eventually and he would…eventually.

"Well I guess it was meant to be because we were missing you too. Weren't we baby girl?" Lindsay cooed over the phone.

"What is dat sound?" Danny wanted to know. I sounded vaguely like an animal who didn't know whether to bark or just howl.

"That Mr. Messer would be your daughter. We are lying on the floor and I put her on her belly. She is none to please but she isn't crying she is just sorta shouting at me. I am sure if I give her a few more minutes she will work herself into crying but she is old enough to start working on pushing herself up with her arms so this is good exercise," Lindsay explained to him.

Danny smiled to himself. Their daughter was so little but already was growing so fast. She wasn't a newborn any more. Danny couldn't believe it but he missed that already.

"You want me to put the phone up to her so you can say hi?" Lindsay asked him.

Danny felt a little sheepish but a quick look around revealed he was in the hall by himself and he really did want to talk to her, "Yeah, just for a minute."

He heard shuffling as Lindsay moved the phone towards Lucy and heard her say, "Lucy baby Daddy wants to say hi."

Danny was met with silence but knew that Lindsay had place the phone next to Lucy, "Hi baby girl. Don't be mad at mommy. She wants ya to grow strong and smart so don't fuss too much about being on your belly 'K."

Danny's stomach jumped as he heard her little baby noises over the phone. He couldn't stop the grin that spread over his face, "Don't argue with Daddy," he playfully scolded her, "I love you so much and miss you. I will see ya tonight and even if you are asleep I am gonna come kiss ya goodnight a'right?"

He heard silence then a loud 'ahh' similar to the ones she was giving Lindsay. He heard shuffling again as Lindsay lifted the phone then said to him, "I think she either said, 'I love you too Daddy' or 'Get me out of here this woman is torturing me.' I'm not sure which."

Danny chuckled, "Ya know Montana, she is going to be as stubborn as her mom."

"That's fine as long as she is never as stubborn as her dad," Lindsay shot back.

"Did you really just call 'cause you were missin' me or was there somethin' else?" Danny inquired.

"Oh yeah, I wanted to tell you that Lucy was fussing this morning about something. I couldn't figure out what was wrong. She wasn't hungry, she wasn't tired, and she had a clean diaper and didn't seem to be in any pain. I wasn't sure what to do so I just put her on the bed next to me while I went through the dirty laundry. How many times have we heard in the last few weeks 'It's ok to let baby cry?'" Danny could hear the sarcasm in her voice. Not that he blamed her; he got pretty sick of all the unsolicited baby advice as well.

"A few," he agreed, "So what happened?"

"Well I put some of your clothes on the bed next to her and start sorting the colors from the whites when I notice that the crying as stopped. I look over and the little stinker had gotten a hand on one of your shirts and had pulled it to her. She was just lying there with your shirt next to her face as happy as a clam. I guess she just wanted daddy," Lindsay finished proudly.

"That's right. That's daddy's girl right there," Danny said gruffly. Truthfully he was fighting down the rising emotions. He was not going to tear up in the hall outside the morgue but he couldn't fight the warmth that spread through him. Danny had never felt so loved and wanted in his entire life. Knowing that two people in this world looked to him as husband and father was the biggest challenge of his life but the pay off was more than he could ever have hoped for.

"She sure does love her daddy," Lindsay admitted, "Who can blame her though? I love her daddy too."

"Thanks Linds, thanks for callin' and tellin' me that. I don't know what I've done to deserve you two but I am goin' to keep on doin' it," Danny vowed.

"All you have to do super hero is come home to us," Lindsay lovingly assured him.

"Always," Danny acknowledged, "I love ya babes."

"We love you. Now get to work so you can come home faster," She admonished.

"Will do."

"Danny," Lindsay called before he could hang up.

"Yeah?"

There was a pause the Lindsay said, "Nothing. Never mind."

"Ya sure?" Danny asked concerned.

"Yeah. We'll talk tonight, right?" her voice both hopeful and insecure. He was always amazed at her ability to do that. She could sound so strong and vulnerable at the same time. It made him feel both needed and proud of her. He fell more in love with this woman each day.

"If you can stay awake," he teased her, "but you know me. I am all about communication now and communicatin' with you is the absolute best part of dat."

Lindsay laughed at him, "Alright Dr. Phil, then I'll talk to you later. Love ya."

"Love you too," Danny said before he hung up.

Danny took a deep breath then squared his shoulders. Come creepy Sid stories or uncomfortable personal invasion nothing was going to stop him from doing right by the woman he loved more than life itself. With that he put his cell phone back in his pocket and made his way into the coroner's office.

************************************************************************

**That's right Messer. Now get in there and show them what you're made of!**

**Thanks for reading!**


	9. All Hands In

**Brining Sexy Back**

**All Hands In**

**By: ioanhoratio**

**Author's Note: So I was strongly encouraged to get this posted before the weekend ;) and I have to say it turned out a little differently than I expected. I am having so much fun writing this story and getting to see where it is taking me. I really have to just pause and say thank you to everyone who has reviewed. I have been grinning like an idiot for days. Everyone has been so very kind and considerate and given some of the sweetest reviews ever. I just feel so grateful for such awesome fellow D/L fans. Thanks for sticking with the story!**

**Special Thanks to: JNicole80, Flynn, mpatrico09, JavaJunkie4evr, Colie04, GoesBoom, jmc715, shamrockbaby411, Dylan Shelby, laurzz, Brinchen86, swfap88, nicson, laura817, gwen24, asbestoswings, JESSMARY25, browner864, afrozenheart412, julinka, jordinajamaica, and carly-babes11.**

****************************************************************************

"Hey Sid," Danny called out to the Medical Examiner.

Sid looked up from his corpse and watched as Danny made his way towards him.

"Oh, Danny, I didn't know you were involved in this case," Sid said as he motioned towards the body on the table, "I'm not quite finished yet so if you want to discuss…

"Oh no," Danny interrupted him, "I'm not here about the case. I just wanted to ask you a few questions about something we were talkin' about the other day but ya know what? You're obviously busy so I'll just come back later." Danny began backing away trying not to feel quite so relieved.

"No need. I can multi-task," Sid assured him as he weighed a lung, "What's on your mind?"

Danny looked around the morgue and seeing they were afforded some privacy took a deep breath and said, "Well you remember the other day when we were talking about Mr. Parham?"

"Yeah, gun shot wound to the chest? I thought you and Stella solved that one," Sid asked confused.

"Yeah we did, that's um…that's not the part I was talkin' about," Danny explained lamely. Now that he was standing in front of Sid he realized he actually hadn't considered how he was going to broach the topic.

Sid made some notes about the organ he was examining and then turned to Danny with a contemplative look.

"You know, we were talkin' about Lucy not feelin' well and you mentioned to make sure Lindsay and I work together," Danny prompted.

"Oh yes! How is Lucy feeling by the way?" Sid inquired as he pulled out the intestines.

Danny was beginning to regret this. Why didn't he wait until Sid was eating lunch or something? Realizing Sid was waiting for answer he quickly said, "She seems to be feeling much better."

"Good. Is that what you wanted to talk about? What could have made her sick?" Sid was doing his best to try and figure out what the detective wanted.

"Nah," Danny hesitated for a moment as he looked at the man who had experienced life with a wife and child and had survived. He apparently knew something and Danny wasn't going to miss the chance to learn. So he stood up a little straighter and squaring his shoulders back he asked, "When will I know Lindsay wants to have sex again?"

Sid's eyebrows shot up and he looked at Danny over his glasses. He watched as a blush spread across the younger man's cheeks. It didn't take a CSI to figure out that something had happened between now and the last time he and Danny had discussed this particular topic.

"Let me guess," Sid teased, "Things aren't going as smoothly as they did before baby?"

Danny gave a little huff.

Sid bent down to begin sewing up the incision he had made and asked, "Did you remember the lubricant like I suggested?"

Danny groaned. This wasn't going exactly how he hoped. He just wanted Sid to read his mind and know what to tell him. Was that really so much to ask?

"Danny," Sid sighed, "You have to help me out here. I'm not sure what you are looking for."

Danny frowned slightly. He was going to have to stop being a baby about this, "Fair enough Sid," he said, "I guess I just want to know is there anything I can do to help Lindsay with this. We attempted to…" Danny searched for right words, "reconnect the other night and it was a little bit of a disaster."

"Lindsay wasn't feelin' it?" Sid asked knowingly.

Danny just shook his head but quickly added, "Not that I think it's her fault. I mean I'm not blamin' her or anything."

Sid chuckled slightly, "Don't worry Danny. I understand. Believe me I do."

Danny paused at that. He was struck with the realization that Sid actually did know. He did understand. All of his friends had been there for him and Lindsay, they had been excited and congratulatory but none of them had experienced it. Even Mac, who had always given him great advice, didn't know the fear and uncertainty of being a new parent but Sid did. Danny felt himself relax slightly.

"The worst part," Danny began to explain, "is that Lindsay thinks she is disappointin' me or lettin' me down in some way."

Sid just nodded in understanding.

"I mean she just gave birth to my kid for cryin' out loud," Danny continued losing more of his inhabitation as he spoke, "How could I be disappointed?"

Sid still said nothing but simply gave Danny a pointed look.

"A'right, fine I admit that I am disappointed," Danny agreed but immediately clarified, "but not with her! I don't know how to explain it and that makes it hard to talk to Lindsay about because I ain't gonna lie to her and tell her that I don't want to…uh…be with her. I just don't know how to talk to her about it without makin' her feel like she has to…" again Danny searched for the best way to say it.

"Perform her wifely duties?" Sid supplied.

"Yeah," Danny confirmed.

Sid continued to work but said, "When my wife and I had our first daughter I was simply in awe of them both. I waited for that feeling to wear off as I changed stinky diapers, wiped spit-up off my shoulder, and walked the floor at 3:00 a.m. with a screaming infant. I expected it to fade as I fought with my wife over stupid stuff because we were both so tired and cranky and as I dealt with the frustration of no longer having my wife to myself. I figured it would diminish with time and I would eventually go back to simply loving them but Danny it never went away. When we had our second daughter I never imagined I would feel for her what I felt for her sister but I was wrong then too. Danny I spent too much time worrying about when things were going to fall apart or when we would get to the next step in life that I forgot to enjoy what was happening right then." Sid paused to tie off his sutures and then turned his full attention to Danny.

Danny crossed his arms and listened as Sid continued, "I remember one incident particularly clearly. It was about six months after our first was born. We had talked a little bit about getting 'back in the saddle again' so to speak but nothing had really ever come of it. I was getting frustrated. One evening we were standing in the kitchen. We had just finished cleaning up the dishes together and I was holding her in my arms. The baby was asleep and we were just standing there together. Instead of enjoying the quiet intimacy of it I asked, 'Are we ever going to have sex again?' This prompted my overextended, exhausted wife to break into tears."

Danny winced in appreciation. It was exactly what he was afraid of happening. He wanted to talk to Lindsay about this stuff but he didn't think he could handle how it might affect her. The last thing he wanted was to add to Lindsay's stress and the thought of any more of her tears being caused by him was enough to make him seriously consider celibacy for the rest of his life if that is what she wanted.

Sid resumed, "I felt terrible, and she felt terrible. A few days later, at my wife's suggestion, we decided to give it a try. And what a complete failure it was. I mean I was way too eager and she was as dry as the Sahara Desert…

"Whoa Sid," Danny interrupted waving his hands, "Too much detail buddy. I get it. Trust me I get it."

"Huh?" Sid asked as he was pulled from his memory, "Oh right, sorry. T.M.I?"

Danny nodded his head frantically.

"Right, ok well you understand," Sid began again, "we both just wound up miserable. We spent the next few days just kind of floating around each other. I was trying to finish my residency and happened to be working with an older couple. The wife was dying of heart disease and her husband practically lived at the hospital. I got to know them pretty well and one day the wife said something to me and I have never forgotten it and I am going to share it with you."

Danny had again begun to pay close attention to what he was saying and even leaned in a little to better hear Sid as he said, "She told me that she and her husband tried to fill their days with intimate moments."

Danny considered that for a moment. He thought he knew where Sid was going with this but waited patiently for the doctor to explain.

"I realized then that I did miss sex but more importantly I missed the intimacy that my wife and I had shared before the baby was born. I had mistakenly thought the only way to achieve that intimacy was sex. That was what we did before the baby came so I figured it would be the best option after the baby came. When I stopped to consider that intimacy can be achieved several different ways things immediately began to improve in our marriage. It almost became a game with us. We would try to come up with different ways to connect," Sid gave a small smile as he allowed the memories to wash over him, "We started with dinners out, then a few walks where we held hands or an evening dancing and holding each other close, eventually we began experimenting in the bed room and the things we discovered there, Oh boy, let me tell you. I never knew my wife was so partial to chocolate sauce and the things that woman could do with her hands alone…" Sid trailed off as he enjoyed a moment of reminiscing.

Danny cringed slightly but wasn't going to let Sid slip into that creepy place yet, "Yeah, yeah ok, ok, never mind that, so your wife liked that then?"

"You bet she did. She especially liked it when I would pour the sauce…

"NO!" Danny shouted a bit too harshly, softer he added, "I mean she was happier after you guys started that stuff?"

"Yes," Sid answered, "It took a lot of the pressure off of her. You see, she was feeling guilty over her lack of interest in our sex life and I was feeling guilty because I wanted to have a sex life and she wasn't ready. I learned an important lesson. Guilt has no place in our intimate life. We were allowing guilt to over run that aspect of our relationship. So don't make that mistake. You should both accept that the way you feel is just fine. We let our guilt keep us from laughing at each other and the situations we were in. We were basically spending a lot of time crying over spilled milk, to borrow a cliché."

Danny allowed all of this information to roll around in his mind, "So basically I should just date Lindsay?"

Sid considered that for a moment, "Well I never thought of it that way but yeah that is a pretty good description except it will be unlike any dating you've ever done because you know that at the end of the day the two of you are still going home together as a family. It turned one of the most trying times in our relationship into some of the most fulfilling. A couple of months later, after a pleasant evening spent counting the stars, we let nature just take its course and we were back in business in no time. And let me tell you it was better than ever."

"So what your sayin' is an evenin' after we both spent all night up with a sick baby, we are exhausted, tempers are short and both unsure of ourselves is probably not the ideal situation for rekindlin' the passion?" Danny joked.

"I think you are beginning to catch on," Sid confirmed with a wink, "Just relax Danny and help Lindsay relax and I promise you things will get better."

"Thanks Sid. I appreciate that, really. I realize we aren't the closest of friends but maybe if you don't mind I can ask you some questions every now and again. My father and I aren't really that close and none of my other friends have kids so I don't really have anyone to seek out advice from about this kinda stuff and if you wouldn't mind sharin' a little of what you've learned it would not go unappreciated," Danny rambled. He had surprised himself with his request and from the look on his face, Sid was surprised as well.

"I'd be honored Danny. I'd love to help when I can," Sid answered honestly as he unclipped his glasses.

"Thanks. I mean you still creep me out a little Sid," Danny watched as Sid simply nodded his head in resignation and continued, "but your help really does mean a lot to me."

"Anytime," Sid smiled at him. The two men shook hands and Danny left to allow Sid to finish his work and so he himself could get back to solving crimes. Danny stood outside the morgue for a moment watching Sid, just as he had done earlier that day. Except this time instead of dread he felt respect. Danny just shook his head in amazement. His life was constantly changing and it surprised him all of the unexpected treasures he was discovering.

That last thought sent Danny into motion. He was anxious to get the work day over and get home to talk to Lindsay. He finally had a plan.

************************************************************************

**Move over Danny! I think I'm a little in love with Sid! (except maybe he could put down the small intestine?) **

**Now if we could only get Lindsay on the same page…**

**Thanks for reading!!!**


	10. Head in the Game

**Brining Sexy Back**

**Head in the Game**

**By: ioanhoratio**

**Author's note: I love reviews because they help me see things differently and help to inspire chapters. This chapter is one such instance. Lindsay gets some much needed advice.**

**Special Thanks to: louis123, laurzz, Zoeybug, Hylen, cindym30, dancexinxthexflames, browner864, JavaJunkie4evr, Dylan Shelby, gwen24, jmc715, Colie04, paradiseblue, kcatlin, Horsegrad13, bonafide11, Brinchen86, SimpleAndAll, asbestoswings, wickedgreengirl, vikkilynne93, afrozenhear412, webdlfan, mpatrico09, nicson, crazymoo97, jordinajamaica, JNicole80, megann310, new-york-babeee, whatsamatta, sbloise, Catty, Annabeth83, wintongirl, MyMindJJ, and hopeisabluebird…um you guys rock! Particularly those who review!**

****************************************************************************

Lindsay was just finishing up the latest Lucy email update for her family in Montana when her cell phone began vibrating on the desk. A quick glance at the phone revealed it was her husband. She flipped the phone open and answered, "Hey babe."

"Hey," Danny shot back.

"Didn't I just get off the phone with you a little while ago?" Lindsay asked him. They really did try to keep their relationship out of the lab as much as possible. They had too much experience with lawyers who would jump on anything; desperate to get their clients cleared. Any hint of impropriety or an inkling of being unprofessional and a guilty person could walk free. Lindsay was just glad they got to continue working together.

"Yeah, I just wanted to check with you about dinner," Danny explained.

"Dinner?" Lindsay asked guiltily. She hadn't actually gotten that far with her day to think about what to make for dinner.

"Yeah," Danny said, "Cause I was thinkin' I could pick up take-out and we could try to have that dinner that was spoiled the other night."

"Ah, yes, the dinner that was spoiled by our Little Poopster," Lindsay teased as she attached the latest photos of Lucy sucking on her own fist to the email.

"Little Poopster? Wow Linds no matter how accurate a description, I'm thinkin' that nickname has gotta go," Danny responded with the same light tone as her, "Besides do you think we could not talk about _that_ and dinner in the same sentence?"

Lindsay laughed, "Fine. So take-out huh? Think you're in the mood for Mexican?"

"Really?" Danny asked the excitement evident in his voice, "You actually want Mexican? Do you think that'd be a'right?"

"Yeah, actually I have been wanting fajitas all day so I think that is an excellent idea," Lindsay assured him. During her pregnancy Lindsay had found certain smells and foods unappealing, some were so offensive it would leave her feeling sick and nauseous. Their beloved Mexican food was one of those things. One whiff of the spicy cheesy goodness sent her stomach rolling so Danny couldn't even bring it home for himself.

"Awesome!" he cried over the phone. He was clearly enthused by the idea.

Lindsay again laughed at her husband, "Well happy to have made your day," Lindsay said sarcastically.

"You do that every day babe," Danny threw at her, "it's just that today I get it with extra guacamole."

"So you going to the place?" she asked him to cover for the fact that he had caught her off guard with his comment. Danny Messer was not the most sensitive of fellows but he was constantly surprising her. He would say such sweet things completely off handedly or without preamble and then just grin at her stupidly when she would blush.

"Yeah, you want the usual?" He asked back.

"Sounds good," Lindsay answered, "You know what time you will be done?"

"Well fingers-crossed I'm gonna get out of here around Six but you know how it is," he sighed.

Lindsay definitely did know. It was one of the things they were going to have to talk about soon. Her working part-time didn't solve all of their problems. Crime was unpredictable. Late nights, early mornings, holidays, weekends, crime waited for no schedule. Lucy needed stability. What were they going to do if for some reason they both got called in at 3:00 a.m.? Who would take care of Lucy?

"Linds? Did I loose ya?" Danny's voice cut through her thoughts.

"Sorry, wool gathering," Lindsay responded sheepishly.

"Wool gatherin' huh?" he asked. She could picture the smirk on Danny's face. He loved it when she used what he had termed "country speak."

"Yeah, you know, lost in thought?" Lindsay explained, "and I do want the usual."

"A'right. I gotta keep this short. Stella is waitin' for me. Love ya," he said in farewell.

"Love you," Lindsay answered as she hung up.

She sent the email and then stood to stretch. She caught her reflection in the window and frowned. She was getting tired of wearing exercise pants and sweats but she was still fifteen pounds away from getting back into her old clothes and she refused to buy bigger jeans. Lindsay turned away with a disgusted sigh. Fifteen pounds seemed insurmountable right now. Maybe she should call Danny back and tell him to forget about Mexican food, she was going to have bread and water for dinner.

No, she couldn't do that to him. He had sounded so excited over the phone. Poor Danny, how much had changed in his life that he was utterly enthused at the prospect of bringing home Mexican take-out? Again Lindsay had to fight down the familiar feelings of guilt. Some days she wanted to just shout and yell at him and some days she wanted to do nothing more than ensure his happiness—and Danny simply rolled with the punches. Her emotionally volatile boyfriend had grown into a patient, loving husband. Lindsay just wished she could get off the roller coaster she found herself on.

Lucy's fussing filled the room and Lindsay quickly went to the source. She picked up her crying daughter from the swing they had set up in the living room. She calmed her softly and knew instantly what Lucy wanted as the infant began rooting around for something to latch her mouth on to.

Lindsay snuggled into the couch and began nursing Lucy. The baby quieted down and her cries were replaced with the sounds of suckling. Lindsay leaned her head back against the couch and closed her eyes. She was so tired. Over the past few days the longest stretch Lucy had slept was about three hours. Lindsay was desperate for a break and knew she should be catching a nap here and there when Lucy slept but every time she would try she would think of something else that needed taking care of around the house or she would think of Danny at work all day, just as exhausted as she is, and hated the idea of him coming home and having to deal with dirty dishes, laundry, or anything else she should be able to take care of during the hours of the day.

Lindsay's morose musings were interrupted by another vibration from her phone. Stretching out she grabbed it and answered, "Hello?"

"Hey honey," Mrs. Monroe's voice carried through, "I just got the email and cannot believe how much she has grown!"

Lindsay winced slightly at the squeally tone of voice but smiled, "I know. She is really developing her features and it is fun to see who she looks like and what parts are me and what parts are Danny."

"She definitely has his eyes and nose but those cute little cheeks are yours," Lindsay's mom gushed, "and the photos are just too adorable. I cannot wait to show them off to the ladies at the next quilting meeting."

Lindsay was delighted by her parents' reactions to Lucy. She had been really nervous to tell them about it in the beginning but knowing that Danny was going to be by her side had helped give her the courage. Her parents had been stunned by her announcement but quickly became excited at the thought of a new grandbaby.

Lindsay heard some talking in the background and then her mother said, "Your father said to make sure and tell you that she her Grandfather Monroe's chin."

Lindsay looked down at Lucy and laughed, "Tell dad that I think he is right."

"She agreed with you honey," Lindsay heard her say to her father and then turning the attention back to her daughter said, "And that story about Danny's shirt was so delightful. You were the same way when you were little. You loved to wrap up in one of daddy's big shirts and dance around. Did Danny appreciate the story?"

"Probably a lot more than he even let on. I swear he thinks this girl hung the moon and he is a lot more sensitive than he likes people to believe. Knowing that his baby girl just wanted her daddy was probably enough to make him emotional," Lindsay explained. She knew her parents were a little weary of Danny. They still didn't know him that well and hadn't gotten to spend a lot of time with him. She also knew they were a hurt by the fact that they had eloped and her parents hadn't been involved in the wedding at all. So she did her best to try and share the real Danny Messer with them as often as possible.

"A regular daddy's girl huh?" Mrs. Monroe asked knowingly, "Speaking of baby girl, how is she doing? Much better than our last conversation I hope."

"Yeah," Lindsay assured her as she tucked the phone against one shoulder and Lucy against the other to burp her, "What ever was bothering her has gone away and we are just trying to get caught up on the lost sleep."

"Good luck with that. It should only take you about 20 years," her mother teased.

Lindsay groaned at the idea, "I'm not ready to joke about that yet."

"Oh honey," Mrs. Monroe's voice filled with concern, "Things getting a little tiring?"

"Yeah, a little" Lindsay answered quietly.

"Is Danny helping with Lucy?" Mrs. Monroe wanted to know; her own mothering instincts kicking in.

"Yes of course," Lindsay answered quickly, "I just…I don't know. I get so tired and there is still so much to get taken care of during the day. Danny is back full time and in CSI speak that means 10 to 15 hour days. Then he comes home and helps with Lucy. I don't want him having to worry about anything so I try to get everything taken care of before he comes home. I know he will want to help if I don't and I don't want him to get over loaded."

"Well Lindsay," her mother said sternly, "you are just going to have to get over that."

"Mom…" Lindsay began but was interrupted.

"No Lindsay. You did not make this baby on your own and you are not left to raise this baby on your own. You are blessed with—according to what you have told us—a loving, caring husband. Has Danny given you any indication that he doesn't want to help?"

"No, of course he wouldn't but…

Again Mrs. Monroe interrupted, "But nothing. You and I both know that a man is perfectly capable of communicating when he doesn't want to be some where. Like when I force your father to come shopping for new fabrics with me. He mumbles and grumbles the whole time. If you don't trust Danny to be honest with you then I would say you have more problems than just sleep deprivation."

"I do trust Danny," Lindsay said indignant.

"Prove it," her mom challenged, "stop selling him short. I know you want every thing in your family to be perfect. I know you don't want to make mistakes and you want to keep every one happy all the time. I know because I felt the same way when we first had kids but Lindsay please let me save you some time by telling you that is not going to happen."

Lindsay didn't know whether to feel hurt or relieved, "Oh mom I'm just so…" Lindsay searched for the best word to describe how she felt.

Again Mrs. Monroe jumped in, "Confused, overwhelmed, emotional, tired, unsure?"

"All of the above and more," Lindsay agreed amazed at how accurate her mother was.

"I know baby. Listen to your mother when I say you have to stop feeling guilty about the fact that being a mom is hard. Killing yourself to try and achieve the unachievable is not fair to you, it's not fair to Danny, and it's not fair to Lucy. I wish I could tell you motherhood is all fluffy and wonderful but I think you are starting to understand that is also heartache, guilt, disappointment, and worry. Being a good mom means you learn to balance those things and being a good wife means you work together with your husband to balance those things."

"How do I do that mom?" Lindsay pleaded, "How do I let go of the doubt and fear?"

"You love and let yourself be loved Lindsay," her mom answered, "Life has dealt you some pretty bad hands in the past but you have the opportunity to really be happy. Take it."

Lindsay was quiet as she considered her mother's advice. Lucy had burped and was now sitting up against Lindsay's bent legs looking off into the distance. She was so beautiful. Lindsay felt her love for her daughter fill her heart and calm the anxiety.

"Thanks Mom," Lindsay said honestly, "I needed to hear that."

"From one mom to another, that's what we're here for. Now give that granddaughter of mine a big smooch for us and send more photos soon. We love them," Mrs. Monroe said, the smile in her voice clear.

"Will do," Lindsay answered. They both expressed their love then hung up.

"Well kiddo," Lindsay cooed taking her daughter's hands into her own, "It's good to know you're never too old for Mommy. Grandma Monroe is so smart. Hopefully I will be able to help you like she helps me."

Lindsay scooped her daughter up and then stood. After changing her diaper she dragged the pack-n-play next to the couch and placed Lucy on her back in it. Once it was clear Lucy wasn't going to fuss she turned on the mobile that was attached and then laid down on the couch. As the classical music from the toy filled the room, Lindsay closed her eyes and allowed herself to slip into slumber.

************************************************************************

**Sleep…it's like Mecca to the new parent ;)**

**Never doubt the power of good, honest advice!!!**


	11. The Plan

**Brining Sexy Back**

**The Plan**

**By: ioanhoratio**

****************************************************************************

Danny couldn't help the grin that currently resided on his face. He balanced the bags of take-out and his own work bag as he unlocked the door to his home. Before he had left work he had made all the arrangements for tomorrow night. Thankfully Stella and Mac were both available and were eager to help Danny out. He couldn't believe how excited he was. He was impatient to speak with Lindsay. He hoped she too would be excited.

Danny was surprised to find the apartment dark. He listened intently for any signs of life but was met by silence. Disappointment clawed at him. It was too quiet. Lindsay was not a person who could just sit still. She was always moving so for it to be this quiet meant she was probably already asleep.

He set his work bag down and dejectedly made his way into the kitchen but stopped at the scene in front of him. There were two plates set on the counter, utensils, cups, and three candles were lit. They cast a soft glow around the room providing enough light eat by.

Danny jumped slightly as he felt two arms sneak around from behind and wrap themselves around his torso.

"Did we forget ta pay the electric bill?" Danny asked as he turned in her arms.

Lindsay just smirked and raised herself up to give him a welcome home kiss which Danny eagerly returned.

"Who cares about electricity? I say we light candles more often," Danny teased.

"Nope," Lindsay said as she led him over to his chair, "candles are for special occasions and the reintroduction of Mexican take-out is pretty special. You better have brought my fajitas."

"A'right, a'right," Danny chided with a chuckle as he watched Lindsay sit down across form him, "Your food is waiting Mrs. Messer." He pulled out the food and they enthusiastically began to eat.

"Luce in bed?" Danny asked after he swallowed his mouthful of chicken.

"Yeah, not for good though. It's too early but I kind of pushed her nap back a bit so we could eat dinner together. She should be waking up in about half an hour to eat again and spend time with daddy," she told him as she stole a bite of tamale off his plate.

"I like your romantic set up here Linds," Danny smiled at her.

"It's not much and it's probably a little silly but I figured it might be fun," Lindsay explained a little embarrassed.

"It is fun. I wasn't bein' sarcastic. I really like it," Danny said as he took one of her hands in his across the table.

Lindsay couldn't help but smile in return, "Good."

They ate is silence for a few moments.

"So I was thinkin'…

"I talked with my…

They both began speaking and then stopped and shared a laugh.

"Go ahead," Danny insisted.

"I was just going to say that I talked to my mom today about some stuff," Lindsay disclosed.

"Oh yeah? What stuff?" Danny wanted to know as he dipped a chip into the salsa.

"Well, she said Lucy is adorable and growing really fast," Lindsay began and watched as Danny nodded his head. The fact that Lucy is adorable was obviously a given, "yeah and she gave me some advice on being a mom and marriage. I know I've been all over the place lately Danny and I'm sorry about that."

Danny made to interrupts but Lindsay stopped him, "No let me finish. I've been so afraid that I was going to fail at all of this that I have stressed myself out. Being a mom is stressful enough. I don't need to add to it. I was being unfair to everyone in this family. I wanted to stay in control to make sure nothing went wrong and that is not what my job as a wife and mother is. I can't promise I am going to change over night but I do promise I am going to try and be more conscious of it. And I am going to ask that you help me. I can't imagine that I am always going to be receptive to your help but I will do my best to always appreciate it."

Sid was right. Danny couldn't imagine this feeling of awe ever going away, "You are pretty amazin' ya know that?"

Even in the candle light Danny could see her blush, "Right, me being a stressed out, overwhelmed mom in your sweat pants is amazing."

"You're damned right is it," Danny answered simply, "Anytime I can get you in my pants is pretty fantastic."

Lindsay laughed out loud at him as he wiggled his eyebrows at her suggestively.

"And about last night," Lindsay began.

"Wait before you say anything about dat let me say somethin'" Danny interrupted, "I too got some advice today. I realized that last night was all wrong."

At Lindsay's confused look Danny explained, "You told me about what you are goin' through physically and emotionally and I wished I had understood better before we tried to have sex again. You see Lindsay it's not just about the sex. I miss bein' with you. I miss our relationship. Right now it feels like Lucy takes up every bit of us."

"I know what you mean," Lindsay agreed as she leaned forward to wards him her dinner forgotten, "I miss you too. I know we see each other every day but it's like you and I have ceased to exist. We went from Danny and Lindsay to Daddy and Mommy."

"And it's not that I don't love bein' Lucy's dad," Danny interjected.

"Exactly, I love being Lucy's mom. I mean come on she is pretty amazing," Lindsay acknowledged.

"Hell yeah she is. We just have to allow us some us time," Danny finished for her, "And that doesn't just mean sex. You and me have always done things a little bit ass backwards. So I was thinkin'" Danny said as he knelt down on the floor on one knee, "Lindsay Messer will you date me?"

Lindsay's laughter bubbled out and danced around with the shadows from the candle light, "Date you?" she asked with her toothy grin.

"Yeah you know we just table the whole sex thing 'til you are feelin' up to it and we spend time together. Strengthen our relationship and learn more about each other. That kinda stuff," Danny answered beginning to feel a little sheepish.

Lindsay got out of her chair and knelt across from him, "Yes Danny Messer I will date you."

He pulled her into his arms and hugged her fiercely. They stayed that way until Danny's hand slid to her side and poked her. She pulled back and glared at him, "No you don't. You are not going to start tickling me."

"I'm not am I? You sure about dat?" He asked as he grabbed her arm to keep her from scurrying away.

"No, don't you dare. I just had a baby. You are going to make me pee on myself," Lindsay warned but despite her words she was already beginning to laugh in anticipation.

Lucy picked that moment to make her presence known, "Ha ha," laughed Lindsay, "Saved by the wail."

Danny groaned at her pun but let her go anyway. He jumped up and ran to get his daughter.

"Don't worry. I'll clean up," Lindsay called out to him sarcastically.

Danny did an abrupt 180 and turned to her, "Sorry babe. I'll clean up."

Lindsay smirked, "Don't worry about it. Go. I know you're dieing to see your daughter."

"Ya sure?" he hesitated.

"Go!" Lindsay said with finality.

Lindsay was all smiles as she cleared away their food. It felt good to talk with Danny. It felt right to share her feelings with him. She was touched that he had returned in kind. She was touched that he missed her like she missed him. She was touched by his idea to date.

Lindsay saw the light come on in the living room and she blew out the candles. Cleaning up was quick since it was just the two of them and neither of them had cooked so she soon found herself back with her family. She just watched for a moment as Danny cuddled their baby and spoke to her until Lucy began crying in earnest.

"Mom," Danny whined as if he were Lucy, "I'm ready for my dinner now."

Lindsay made her way over to the couch and after sitting took Lucy into her arms and began nursing her.

"So when is our first date?" Lindsay inquired.

"Tomorrow night actually," Lindsay raised her eyebrows and Danny continued, "We are having dinner with Mac and Stella at the Hilton and then they are gonna watch Lucy for a few hours while you and I spend the evenin' together."

"What are we going to do?" Lindsay wanted to know a little stunned.

"That is a surprise," Danny told her.

"So we are going to leave Lucy with Mac and Stella for a few hours?" Lindsay questioned slightly uncertain.

"Yes. And it will be fine. We aren't goin' far. We will just be a phone call away. This will be good for you I think Linds. You deserve a break," Danny insisted.

Lindsay nodded. Hadn't she just been telling her mother she needed one? However being faced with the prospect of being away from her baby was suddenly unsettling.

"You want to hear something weird?" Lindsay asked him.

"Um…ok," He answered.

"I miss being pregnant some times," she confessed, "I mean I know she's right here but some times I miss her. I miss feeling her move and having that connection with her. Does that sound weird?"

"Nah," Danny assured her, "Some time I miss you being pregnant too. I liked talkin' and readin' to your belly."

"I miss your hand on my belly all the time," Lindsay added, "and I can't believe I am saying this but I miss you reading your comic books to her. I never did find out what happened with the Green Lantern."

Danny jumped off the couch, "Be back in a sec." He returned a few minutes later with his comic in hand.

Lindsay finished nursing Lucy and burped her while Danny got comfortable on the couch. He tugged on her arm and she and Lucy snuggled against him.

"Now where were we?" he asked as he flipped through the pages.

"Page 11 I believe," Lindsay supplied.

"Right, ok here we go…"

They spent to rest of the evening enjoying being a family.

************************************************************************

**One small step for man…;)**

**Thanks for reading!**


	12. The Uniform

**Bringing Sexy Back**

**The Uniform**

**By: ioanhoratio**

**AN: Ok I know this is a short one but I promise the next two chapters are super long. They are just taking me forever to finish since I only get snippets of time to work on them. I will get them finish soon. You guys really are wonderful at encouraging me to continue!**

**Also…over 100 reviews!!!!!! Giddy feeling spreading all through my body. Special thanks to: Tysheda, madmush, JavaJunkie4evr, jmc715, Jacoblover16, Colie04, swfap88, browner864, sjt988, mpatrico09, ZoeyBug, gwen24, LuBr, webdlfan, Elja, Brinchen86, jordinajamaica, asbestoswings, laurzz, Hylen, FinalAvenue.**

****************************************************************************

Lindsay eyed the black dress as it hung like a shadow of her previous self. The tag that still hung from it was taunting her with the fact that she hadn't yet worn the garment. The designer label served as a reminder of what she had hoped to accomplish with the dress—to feel beautiful.

She thought back to when she had first purchased it. Lindsay wasn't a fashion guru but living in New York had afforded her more knowledge on the subject. She had nearly keeled over when she first saw the prices of some of the items of clothing. She couldn't help her country grown heart from seizing at the thought of spending so much for a scarf or hand bag. She had laughed as she pictured what her parents' reactions would be. She could hear her mother's gasp of disbelief and her father's grumblings of disapproval. So while it was fun to window shop Lindsay had never ventured towards a single item with the intent of purchase. Until the day she passed and saw the **SALE** sign. Curious at the prospect of a discount, Lindsay had nonchalantly strolled into the store and roamed through the field of fabric. Considering the normally astronomical prices, Lindsay was surprised to find a few items relatively low priced. It was still too much to spend on normal shopping but to treat herself to something nice it wasn't too far out of the budget. Being the new girl in town and being alone wasn't easy and Lindsay definitely believed in the healing benefits of a new outfit.

She had looked at each piece of clothing carefully and wasn't sure she would find anything that would warrant the excess in spending when she saw the black dress. It was as if the light shining on it was mesmerizing her and as a moth she moved towards it. She had delicately fingered the chiffon and for a moment pictured herself at a swank party, sipping champagne, and spending the evening on the arm of a certain blue eyed detective. Realizing she had been picturing a co-worker with whom she merely tolerated, Lindsay had pulled her hand back and her cheeks had burned. She was not interested in Danny Messer, or rather she had told herself that over and over again.

During her musings a store representative had approached her and asked, "Beautiful isn't it?"

Lindsay smiled at her and simply nodded.

The young sales woman with deep rich black hair looked at the dress knowingly then turned to Lindsay and continued in a soft, warm voice, "It is an elegant chiffon dress that features silky charmeuse trim at the Egyptian neckline and waist. Which is very slimming; not that your petite body needs it," the woman assured with a smile," The shirred bodice with keyhole detail gives way to a full skirt with wispy overlay but still maintains a contour fit. The topstitching at the neck and waist offer a classy and elegant embellishment."

Lindsay had looked closely and saw the ornamentation and had been surprised at the impact of the subtle design.

The woman continued her description, "The straight back would compliment your body type beautifully and the hidden back zip with hook-and-eye closure will make people think you were poured into it. Not to mention," the woman lowered her voice seductively, "it's fully lined in black charmeuse. Imagine the feel of the silky material as it rests against the skin."

Lindsay never slept in silk sheets but she imagined the way it would feel and couldn't help her mind comparing it to sliding into the dress.

"Plus the length of the skirt, to probably just below your knee, keeps it playful and fun," the woman's tone of voice had changed to match her description of the dress. Then her voice grew pouty as she added, "It's a shame it is our last one."

"Oh?" Lindsay had asked despite herself.

"Yes, but perhaps you would like to try it on?" the woman offered brightly.

And as a sailor to the Siren's song Lindsay had eagerly accepted.

Lindsay had pulled the dress on only to discover it was probably about 2 sizes too big and her chest wasn't close to being big enough to fill out the bodice properly. She had been rather disappointed at the prospect of leaving with out the dress so she did want any woman would do. She began to rationalize; the price was too good to pass up, it was the last one, and the sales woman had kindly pointed out all the benefits of such a wonderful dress. She could just have the dress tailored a bit—compared to what she was saving; the cost of having it fitted would be minimal. So Lindsay had taken the dress off and told the woman she would take it.

And the dress had hung in her closet for nearly three years unworn.

She had never gotten around to having it fixed since she truly didn't have much opportunity to use it. Danny had asked about it when they moved in together but she had waved off his questions; embarrassed by the fact that she had been so taken in by the sales woman's pitch and the magical idea of the life that the black dress offered.

That was all going to end today. Thanks to her pregnancy (and subsequent lactation) her boobs would have no problem filling out the top now and the miracle of her Tummy Slimmer Girdle she had ordered, which was especially made for new moms who breast feed, allowed her to instantly shed a few pounds. It was time to bring the dress out of the closet.

"Who knew that Danny getting me out of my clothes would get me into this dress," Lindsay joked to her infant daughter. Lucy looked at her mom from her bouncy seat and stared for a moment then went back to sucking on her fist.

"I thought it was a pretty good joke," Lindsay said with a mock huff, "Hopefully Daddy will think mommy is hot in this. If it doesn't fit then I will probably just cry and burn all my clothes."

Lucy kicked her legs and flung her arms, enjoying the sensation of the seat flying back, oblivious to her mother's desperation. Lindsay couldn't help the smile that spread across her face as she watched her daughter. Her baby's blue eyes—which they now knew were going to stay blue—taking in the world with such fascination. She was so amazing with her nose so tiny and adorable and her delicate pink lips so kissable. She and Danny would spend hours just looking at her and marveling. At nearly 7 weeks she was the funniest baby Lindsay had ever met. The way she would give this odd bark sound when she was angry and the way she would fuss when she wanted her daddy. She thought Danny was going to melt to the floor the first time they saw her smile. They would watch as she stared off into nothing and then got the biggest grin on her face. Danny figured she is so perfect and innocent that she can still see the angels watching over her. Lindsay felt that was remarkably cheesy coming from Danny but had secretly loved the thought. Now they joked that when she would smile at nothing, "She sees her angel friends again."

"You are one cute girl," Lindsay cooed as she playfully poked Lucy's nose, "I know I complain about the weight but you are definitely worth it"

'Please fit,' Lindsay pleaded in her mind as she undressed. She had tried on several of her pre-pregnancy clothes and been left feeling ugly and frustrated. She was supposed to be meeting Danny, Mac, and Stella for dinner in an hour and half. Danny had been called to the lab to help for a few hours. Mac had been sure to stress that Danny wouldn't be there all night but just to be safe Danny had wore his suit to work—and he had looked unbelievably sexy. It reminded Lindsay of the days when Danny would show up for work in his business suits, with the top button of his white shirt undone, his hair spikey and highlighted, and looking extremely distracting. Lindsay didn't mind the jeans he wore these days; they were quite sexy as well but she definitely appreciated the G.Q. look from before.

The only problem is, as much as she enjoys the hotness that is her husband, it can be intimidating to match. She knew Danny loved her and that he thought she was beautiful. Lindsay was a competent woman who had over come a truly horrific past and had accomplished many great things. She was proud to be a mom. She simply wasn't used to her new body and that uncertainty caused doubt. It wasn't about being happy or content; it wasn't about how much she loved Danny and Lucy, or even about how much they loved her. It was about looking at herself and not recognizing what she sees; the stretch marks, the belly fat rolls, the slightly bigger feet, the chubbier fingers and the leaky boobs. It was about the fear that she wouldn't be able to reach the goals she set for herself. It was simply the need to feel beautiful, the superficial, worldly, shallow, vain kind of beautiful that would boost her confidence. She wanted to feel sexy.

This dress was her last resort.

"OK babe, here goes," she advised Lucy as she pulled the dress up over her hips.

****************************************************************************

**See, I told you it was short but like I said the next two are freakin' long! **

**Also this story probably isn't the most feminist friendly since I have Lindsay talking about her body image and confidence in the same sentence but I believe that is very true to life; not that there is a link between beauty and confidence but that most people believes there (and I know what a struggle it can be; particularly after a baby) and I am not trying to belittle Lindsay (or woman) in anyway. I am just trying to give an honest portrayal of what life is like after a baby; the ups and the downs. **

**Thanks for reading!!!**


	13. The Biggest Fan

**Bringing Sexy Back**

**The Biggest Fan**

**By: ioanhoratio**

**AN: So I wasn't planning on posting this yet but I couldn't resist gwen24 (Did you know it's her birthday today? 8/19) and I decided to go ahead and post this part. Originally I was going to include this and the next chapter as one post but I figured I could split it into two chapters and still keep the flow of the story. I still haven't got the dialogue of the next chapter where I want it so there will be a bit of a delay there but I thought this part was ok to post. So…**

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY GWEN!**

**Special Thanks to: laurzz, Lindsay1234, afrozenheart412, Hylen, gwen24, Brichen 86, jordinajamaica, swfap88, madmush, webdlfan, lilMidget, bettine, browner864, asbestoswings, megann310, Red Writer, and bonafide11. I still owe some of you a review reply and I am going to try and get that done as soon as possible (I cannot believe how many of you keep encouraging me with this story! Thank you so very much!!!) Thanks for being patient with me!**

****************************************************************************

"Damn," Danny breathed out softly. His quiet exclamation drew the attention of Mac and Stella as they turned to see what caused Danny's response. It wasn't too hard to figure out even though they were standing in the gilded lobby of the Hilton, surrounded by people. Danny excused himself and they watched as he jogged towards the entrance.

"Hey," he smiled to his wife.

"Hi," she smiled back at him, "I just paid for the valet service. I hope that's alright. I know it was like $50 bucks but I just didn't feel like having to deal with parking and then carrying her car seat; especially in these heels." Lindsay shifted the baby carrier and indicated to her shoes.

Danny reached out and took the heavy awkward carrier from her, "It's fine. I actually prefer not havin' you walkin' the streets lookin' so hot. Who knows what kinda guys are out there just waitin' for some hot thing to come walkin' by?"

Lindsay blushed furiously and shyly smiled at him but responded with a derisive, "Ha, some hot thing with a baby carrier and a girdle on."

Danny wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close before teasing her ear by whispering, "No dirty talk in front of the baby."

Lindsay laughed at his teasing and deeply breathed in the sent of his cologne.

"Seriously Linds, you look beautiful," he assured her as his eyes raked over every inch of her body from her slightly curled hair, to her light dusting of make up and shiny lip gloss, to her sexy, toned legs accentuated by the length of her black dress, "Hey is this the dress that's been hangin' in the closet?"

Lindsay smirked at him desperate to fight the giddy feeling from bubbling out at his response to her appearance, "This is the one."

"Damn woman, why've you been holdin' out on me? Why did I have ta wait so long to see you in this?" Danny demanded as he gripped her hip tighter.

'You have no idea,' Lindsay thought but chose to instead to answer with, "A girl's gotta keep her husband up on his toes."

Danny lowered his voice again before growling, "Oh, you got me up alright."

"Danny!" Lindsay cried scandalized and playfully gave him a slap on the chest, "Now who's talking dirty in front of our daughter?"

Danny laughed out loud and turned his attention to the little baby lying oblivious to her parents banter, "Look who else is so beautiful," Danny cooed to the little girl who wore a pink dress with ruffles and a pink band around her head. Her little pink slipper clad feet shifted back and forth. Danny watched as her eyes focused on him and he felt his heart melt all over. Her eyes lit up and she let out a gasp of excitement. Danny couldn't wait another moment. He set the carrier down and unbuckled his tiny daughter before pulling her to his chest.

"Watch your suit," Lindsay warned as she watched the two people she loved most greet each other, "She'll slobber all over you."

Lucy wasn't much a drooler but she did have a habit of placing her open mouth against one's shoulder and leaving a little wet ring. Her parents had grown indifferent to her saliva sinking into their clothing but tonight was different. Tonight they were dressed for an evening out. Danny's light beige suit and white button-up shirt definitely didn't need any accessorizing from his daughter.

"Oh Lindsay, look at her little booty," Danny observed with adoration.

Lindsay smiled at him, "I thought you might like that." They were referring to the bloomers that covered Lucy's bottom that read 'Little Princess' across the backside.

"A'right princess, should we go get Uncle Mac and Aunt Stella and eat?" Danny asked his daughter. Her response was to shakily pusher her head up off his shoulder before it immediately dropped back down, "Was'dat baby girl? You think we should just skip dinner, hand you over to Mac and Stella and let Daddy drag Momma up to one of these hotel rooms?"

Danny wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at Lindsay, who rolled her eyes and said, "I did not squeeze myself into this dress just to have you take it off. Now I am a hungry woman who needs nutrients to feed your daughter. Take me to dinner sir."

"A'right, a'right," Danny said raising his free arm in surrender, "Now I know why Lucy gets so grumpy when she's hungry; like mother, like daughter."

Lindsay just scoffed at him then leaned down to pick up the empty carrier. Danny stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. She turned and gave him a questioning look.

"You really do look stunning Montana," he answered and lightly cupping her chin with his free hand he pulled her close and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. It was a sign of affection that warmed her from head to toe and empowered her.

Danny pulled back and grinned at her, knowing the effect he was having on his wife. He reached down and lifted the empty carrier but Lindsay grabbed it from him and took his now empty hand into her own then headed over to meet their friends.

Mac and Stella, realizing the couple was headed their way; quick averted their gaze and pretended to be admiring the décor of the lavish building.

"Hi guys," Lindsay called out to them in greeting.

"Ah Lindsay," Stella smiled at her, "It's so good to see you." She then pulled the younger woman into a tight hug. Lindsay hugged her back enthusiastically as the idea that she was going to be spending the evening with adults and participating in adult conversation began to finally sink in. She had been so occupied with getting her and Lucy ready for tonight that she hadn't stopped to think about how excited she actually was.

Mac moved in as she and Stella pulled apart, "You look wonderful Lindsay," he complimented as he gave her a friendly kiss on the cheek.

"And isn't she adorable," Stella squealed as she caught sight of Lucy, "Oh Lindsay she just gets cuter and cuter doesn't she?"

Danny and Lindsay smiled hugely at each other. It was clear the proud parents agreed with Stella's assessment.

"I know I'm biased but I think she's just beautiful," Lindsay confirmed.

"Biased? Whose bein' biased?" Danny demanded, "Biased my ass, she's gorgeous. That's all there is to it. Ain't that right Mac?"

"Right," Lindsay jumped in before her boss could answer, "and her godfather isn't biased either?"

Danny shook off her reasoning, "Nah, Mac is a man of science, a man of logic and reason. He's never prone to exaggeration and is committed to the truth. So whadda ya say Mac? Most beautiful baby in the world?"

Knowing he'd been set up Mac raised an eyebrow. He seemed to consider Lucy with a critical eye. He motioned for Danny to hand him the baby. As Lucy snuggled into the crook of her godfather's arm she yawned, her tiny pink tongue poking out. Mac's normally stoic face spread into a grin as he answered, "Absolutely."

Danny nodded in agreement, "See Montana."

Lindsay raised her arms in surrender, "Hey, you don't have to argue with me about it. I'm in full agreement."

"That's right," Danny said triumphantly then added, "Shall we eat?"

The group consented eagerly and Danny placed his hand at the small of Lindsay's back and gently guided her towards the dining area.

************************************************************************

**Next up: The dinner with Mac and Stella and the Lindsay and Danny finally get some one on one time…hmm….**

**Also I have never been to the Hilton so unfortunately I am writing based on second hand knowledge from my sister and their web page. Sorry if this or the following chapters have a few mistakes. ;)**

**Thanks for reading!!!**


	14. The Wind Up

**The Wind Up**

**By: ioanhoratio**

**AN: Sorry it took me so freakin' long to get this chapter posted. Thanks to Fall Break at school I got some extra time to work on it and decided to go ahead and post this part. Thank you for being so patient and so awesome with your encouragement! (You know who you are ;) Oh and I make a reference to my story **_**Time for Mothers **_**but I don't think you have to have read it to understand this chapter.**

**Special Thanks to: webdlfan, Brinchen86, madmush, LuBr, Hylen, gwen24, lastlovesangel, Lindsay1234, Lindsay230, JavaJunkie4evr, browner864, afrozenheart412, aussietasha, bonafide11, asbestoswings, laurzz, paradiseblue, jorndinajamaica, Colie04, and ZoeyBug. I really enjoy writing this story and your support means so much to me. Thank you!!!**

***************************************************************************

"So there I was holding this ratty old baseball, trying to figure out if my husband's mind had finally succumbed to exhaustion, when he tells me that he had spent his life loving nothing more than he loved baseball until he met me," Lindsay told the story with a pleased smile. Danny blushed and pretended to not care as he played with Lucy.

Stella couldn't resist teasing him though, "Danny that is so beautiful. Only Danny Messer could turn a dirty old baseball into something so touching and special."

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled in response, "I do think exhaustion had more to do with it. Not to mention the absolute high we were both still runnin' on. Parenthood really is an experience of contradiction. I've never felt so tired while at the same time unable to slow down because of the adrenaline. I think it took a week after she was born before I felt comfortable going to sleep."

"It's true," Lindsay confirmed, "I would wake up and find him gone. I always knew where to look though; he was always standing over her crib just watching her breath."

"I always did wonder what he would up doing for Mother's Day," Mac interjected, "He was in a panic when he showed up at my office."

"Well," Lindsay continued, "Whatever you told him, did the trick because after he gave me the baseball there was a knock on the door and do you have any idea who it was?" she asked excitedly.

At their questioning looks Lindsay answered, "My Mom. Danny had bought her ticket and brought her to New York. It was amazing!"

"Wow," Mac responded," I definitely can't take credit for that. I don't think I would have come up with anything as important as that."

"Sure ya would've," Danny argued, desperate to get the attention off himself, "Once you see the woman you love give everything she can to bring your child into the world and then watch as she holds the baby close, you know you would go to any lengths to show her your appreciation."

It was Lindsay's turn to blush and she couldn't help the smile that lit her face. Realizing that Mac & Stella had matching smiles Danny groaned, "Dammit. These two girls have turned me into a pansy ass."

Laughter erupted around the table startling Lucy who began to whimper.

"Not that it's all sunshine and rainbows," Lindsay said as she watched her husband comfort their daughter, "I have accepted that a good night's sleep is a thing of the past and I'm hoping we can potty train her at six moths because diaper changing is not one of my favorite things."

Coddling a now calm Lucy, Danny added, "You're just mad 'cause she peed on ya."

"Oh no!" Stella cried out laughing, "She didn't!"

Lindsay couldn't help the laughter that bubble out at the memory, "Oh she definitely did. I was so good at keeping a clean diaper close by but the one time I didn't do it..." Lindsay trailed off as she raised her arms in defeat.

"She peed all over 'er," Danny confirmed gleefully, turning to Lucy he teased, "Ya see, Lucy an' I have an understanding, don't we Luce? No peeing on daddy."

"An understanding with a newborn?" Mac asked incredulously, "And how is it Lindsay is the one that got peed on?"

"I know!" Lindsay agreed indignant, "Plus he was absolutely useless. I'm scrambling to hold Lucy and to try and minimize the damage and all he could do was laugh his butt off. He was laughing so hard tears, actual tears, were forming."

Danny grunted at her admission, "Yeah, well we've both had our fair share of bodily fluids from this little girl. Glamour, thy name ain't Lucy."

Mac and Stella had laughed through the Messer's story telling, both marveling at the couple that had changed so much.

"So it's been quite a learning experience?" Mac asked playfully.

"You said it," Danny responded, while Lindsay giggled.

"W'as so funny Montana?" Danny asked.

"I just realized we are supposed to be having adult conversation and all I can talk about is Lucy," she observed and turning to Danny she added, "We've turned into _those people."_

Danny cringed but couldn't argue. He'd talk about Lucy to anybody willing to listen and in some cases some who weren't.

"Don't worry about it kiddo," Stella assured her patting her hand, "If I had a little one as adorable as Lucy I wouldn't shut up about her."

Lindsay gave Stella a grateful smile but their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of their food. Their discussion topic turned to the deliciousness of the meal then the talking lulled.

"You've gotten pretty good at that," Lindsay said quietly to Danny.

"What?" he asked in the same tone.

"Holding her and eating," Lindsay answered.

Danny smirked, "I am a talented man."

Lindsay just smiled in return.

The next half hour passed quickly as the four adults took turns holding Lucy and leisurely eating their meal. Soon the food was gone and Lucy would no longer be distracted out of her fussing. Lindsay cuddled her baby close and grabbing a diaper and the baby wipes she had wedged into the baby carrier she said, "If you'll excuse me I better go feed and change her before she throws a temper tantrum and we get thrown out of the restaurant."

Before she could stand, Danny stopped her with a hand on her arm, "You've got ya nursin' cover. No one here is gonna mind you feedin' her. You don't hafta to hide in the bathroom," he insisted.

Danny was a scientist. To him, breastfeeding was a fact of life, a part of nature. Lindsay had spent several feeding sessions answering Danny's questions and describing to him in detail how it felt. Part of him regretted not being able to connect to his daughter that way but a larger part of him adored watching his wife and daughter bond on such an intimate level. He loved his one on one time with Lucy but so far for him his favorite moments since her birth were of him with one arm around Lindsay and the other around Lucy as he helped support his daughter while she nursed. Sometimes Lindsay would fall asleep and Danny would feel a rush of empowerment as his two girls lay vulnerable in his arms, dependent on his protection. Their faith and love and trust made him feel strong and needed. He knew he seemed an unlikely candidate but because of his intense feelings on the subject, and also due to an uncomfortable incident on the subway shortly after Lucy was born, Danny had become a champion of nursing mothers everywhere.

Lindsay appreciated his support but Lucy's fussing had morphed into lusty wails and drawing irritated looks from the other diners so she quietly said, "I know babe but this dress isn't exactly conducive to feeding. I'm gonna have to pull it down."

"Oh," Danny answered sheepishly, "A'right then we'll wait here and I'll tell Mac & Stella some stuff about keepin' Lucy."

Lindsay just nodded as she dashed from the table, anxious to take her screaming daughter out of the elegant dinning room. Danny watched her hurry. He knew she worried about how people responded to Lucy. He cared a lot less than she did. He turned to Mac & Stella and shrugged, "I don't get it, ya know?"

Mac smirked, "Get what Danny?"

"Why a new mom hasta be so nervous and scared about bringin' her baby out it public. I mean come on, I know a baby screamin' and cryin' ain't a lot of fun to be around and Linds and I, we do our best to keep people from havin' to listen to it but it's like if Luce even starts makin' the slightest bit of noise people start given us these looks," Danny's hand waived through the air as he vaguely indicated towards a young couple who had moments ago been doing exactly what Danny had described.

"And heaven forbid she ever have to breast feed in public," Danny continued, "People get all kinds of weirded out."

"Well, do you remember what you were like before Lindsay got pregnant?" Stella asked him.

"What d'ya mean?"

"I mean, how did you react to a screaming baby or a nursing mother before Lucy?" Stella clarified.

Danny took a moment to consider her question before answering, "Hmm...Honestly it's very hard to remember what life was like before Lucy but I conceded I probably wasn't the most patient person when it came to a screamin' baby but like I said Linds and I do our damnedest to keep Lucy from botherin' other people. However I can say with complete confidence that I have never looked at a nursing mom or treated one with as little respect as some people have done to Lindsay," Danny defended.

"Really?" Mac inquired, "People give you that hard of a time?"

Danny nodded his head emphatically, "About a month ago--so just a couple weeks after Lucy was born--we took 'er to a follow-up appointment with the doctor. Lindsay had literally been cooped up in the house for weeks so we decided to take the subway so she could get some exercise and enjoy bein' out an' about, right?" Danny explained as Mac & Stella nodded in understanding, "Well ev'rything goes great at the doctor's. Lucy practically sleeps through the whole thing then on the ride back Luce wakes up and starts fussin' right away; she's hungry, in a new place, it's noisy and she's probably a little scared by ev'rything. Other than the hospital, Linds had never nursed anywhere but at home so she's a little nervous ya know? So we are tryin' everything we could think of to calm Lucy down. At this point this guy starts makin' these comments—just loud enough for us to hear—about us shuttin' up _that_ baby. Of course Lucy is screamin' her head off by now and we are gettin' dirty looks from everyone."

Danny paused to take a quick drink of his water and then continued his story to an enraptured Stella and Mac, "I had been holdin' her and bouncin' her but nothing was working so Linds decides she's just gonna hafta feed her which is when she realizes that despite her big-o bag of baby stuff she forgot to grab her nursin' apron. Not ta mention it was a freakin' hot and humid day so we didn't have a nice big baby blanket with us either. But what coud she do? Lucy was pissed and doin' a bang up job of makin' sure ev'rybody knows it. I'm talkin' high pitched, ear-piercing wails here."

Danny watched as Mac and Stella both grimaced in understanding and continued, "Right, so Linds is tryin' to maneuver Lucy under her shirt, I'm doin' my best to stand in front of 'em to give 'em some privacy and this clown from before starts up again. He starts bitchin' about Lindsay flashin' ev'ryone," Danny threw his hand in the air as a sign of frustration, though his tone made perfectly clear his feelings on the matter, "I am absolutely ready to deck this guy, right? That's when I realized I could kill two birds with one stone. I remembered I had on an under shirt so I pulled off my top shirt and drapped it over Lindsay and Lucy and in the process made sure that mook saw the badge clipped to my belt. He shut up pretty fast after that but the damage was done. Linds was a wreck by the time we got home."

Mac and Stella seemed to contemplate Danny's story before Stella observed, "I guess there's a lot more pressure in parenthood than I even realized."

Mac added sympathetically, "I can't imagine it gets any easier, especially with a job like ours."

Danny agreed, "Ya know I've lived my life for over three decades but since Lucy came along it feels like I'm seein' everything different, ya know? I'm 100% responsible for the care of another person and everything is scary again. The only other person who is feelin' it worse than me is Lindsay. That's why I'm really grateful to you guys for helpin' tonight. I just want to give Lindsay a chance to relax and take a breath."

Stella smiled at him, "It's our pleasure Danny. We care about you and Lindsay and adore that little girl of yours. And if anyone could use a night out it sounds like you guys could."

Danny smirked at her and added wryly, "Well, we'll see how well Linds does with handin' Lucy over before we declare the night a success."

Mac chuckled and asked, "This is really the first time she'll have been away from Lucy?"

"Yep," Danny answered and then added, "and knowin' Montana she's goin' a little nuts about it right now."

********************************************************************

'How can I do this?' Lindsay thought as she gazed down at her nursing daughter. She watched Lucy's tiny fist clenching and unclenching against her breast as she suckled. Lindsay sat on a hard toilet seat in a locked stall and considered her tiny daughter. She had told Danny the truth when she said she needed to nurse in the bathroom for the sake of modesty but she also knew she needed the time to come to terms with the idea of having Lucy out of her sight.

It wasn't that she didn't trust Mac and Stella to take care of Lucy. Lindsay firmly believed that they would keep Lucy healthy and safe for the few hours she was in their care. It was the other stuff; what if Lucy got scared and needed her mother, what if she wanted her favorite song sung to her, what if she fell asleep and then woke up expecting her mommy and daddy to be there and became sad that they weren't, or what if Lucy rolls over for the first time?

Lindsay knew she was being slightly ridiculous but her guilt was shouting down any rational thought. She could no longer remember the sleeplessness, the crying, the screaming, the frustration, the emotional upheaval. Rather, her mind was filled with the image of her perfectly angelic child clinging to her mother--her vulnerable little baby desperately needing her mother.

'How can I be so selfish?' Lindsay silently berated herself, 'Lucy isn't even two months old yet. We can't just dumper her off.' Her mind waged an internal battle. She knew this time with Danny was important but they had to consider whether Lucy was really ready to be away from her parents.

Lucy soon finished eating and with an ease that came from being fully immersed in the role of mother, Lindsay brought the baby to her should and burped her. She then lowered a now full and content Lucy down so mother and daughter could look at each other. Lindsay wiped away the small amount of spittle from Lucy's chin and was rewarded with the sweetest, most precious smile. Lindsay fell even deeper in love.

With her mind made up Lindsay redressed herself, made quick work of changing Lucy's diaper and then headed back out into the dining room.

*********************************************************************

**Did anybody think Danny wouldn't have his work cut out for him? ;)**

**So I have every intention of posting the next chapter soon. Fingers crossed real life takes a chill pill and I get a moment to finish it because I am really excited to post it. It may be my favorite chapter so far!**

**Thanks for reading!!!**


	15. The Pitch

**Bringing Sexy Back**

**The Pitch**

**By: ioanhoratio**

**A/N This story originally started out as about 5 chapters. It has exploded into something I never expected and that is due to all the wonderful people who have reviewed and encouraged me to continue. This story has gone into directions I never planned on and as a result I've changed around some of what I initially planned for so that is one of the reasons updates have been a little scarce. But I cannot thank you guys enough for the inspiration. Writing this story has been so fun and marvelous for me! Thank you!**

**Special Thanks to: butterfly-92, Colie04, Angelpie24, jmc715, laurzz, emmyk007, AnickaMarie, paradiseblue, bonafide11, Princess Amalee, Hylen, saturn567, littlemisselmo95, ZoeyBug, Brinchen86, afrozenheart412, lezzles1956, asbestoswings, and gwen24. **

* * *

When Lindsay returned to the table she could tell the bill had been paid and they were all just waiting on her. Having seen her approaching figure, the three adults stood and Danny began gathering up their things.

"Oh, someone is much happier now," Stella cooed to Lucy, "Did Momma make it all better?"

Lindsay smiled. "She really is a great baby. It's still a lot of work but we definitely got blessed with a happy little girl."

As the group exited the restaurant, Lindsay stopped Danny with a hand on his arm and said softly, "Can I talk to you for a second?"

If it had been anyone else, anyone other her husband, Lindsay would have missed the momentary flash of disappointment in his eyes--even if he tried to cover it with a nod of his head.

As soon as they were back in the lobby, Mac and Stella turned to the Messers expectantly. Danny handed Mac the baby carrier then turned to Lindsay and took Lucy. After giving her a quick kiss on her chubby cheek he passed her off to Stella saying, "S'cuse us for just a sec."

Not waiting for an answer, Danny grabbed Lindsay's hand and pulled her into a little nook away from the crowd.

"I know what ya gonna say," he began before Lindsay had a chance to even open her mouth, "But first answer me one question."

Lindsay knew her face expressed her puzzlement; first at the fact that Danny claimed to know what she wanted to talk about and second at his request. Despite being perplexed she gave Danny a slight nod of acquiesce.

Taking his cue, Danny asked, "Can you name three things you've done without Luce since she was born?"

Lindsay could only stare at him. After a brief moment she began to open her mouth when Danny cut her off.

"And don't say takin' a shower. That don't count."

Lindsay could only closer her mouth. She was indeed going to say taking a shower, but now she had nothing. She knew she was being cornered and went on the defensive claiming, "I don't think there is anything wrong with the fact that I have been taking care of my baby."

"Of course there isn't Linds," Danny shot back, "You're a fantastic mom, but you gotta also realize there ain't nothin' wrong with her bein' away from you for a few hours."

Lindsay wasn't ready to give up and argued, "It's not the same for you Danny, it's easier. You're away from her all the time."

Danny raised an eyebrow in slight irritation before griping, "You did not just say it's easier for me because I get to spend less time with our daughter than you."

Lindsay pressed her lips tightly together to keep a groan from escaping. She had only been thinking about herself, otherwise she never would have said that. She knew how much Danny hated having limited time with his daughter. She knew he felt like he was missing so much of Lucy's life by being at work. Lindsay felt the fight drain out of her and softly said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that the way it came out."

Danny had seen her surrender in the slouch of her shoulders and knew his wife felt bad for what she'd said. He nodded at her and gently pulled her closer to him. Lindsay placed her hand against his chest and absently used her thumb to stroke the smooth surface of his shirt.

"It's just..." she began trying to explain, glancing at his face then immediately lowering her eyes, "It's just she's been with me, a part of me, for almost an entire year. I can't believe how much I feel for her. I don't understand how I lived for so long without her and I haven't figured out how to deal with all of that yet so I definitely don't know how to deal with being away from her."

She again raised her gaze to his, allowing him to see her fear and uncertainty. He could also see the love and trust she had for him as she silently petitioned for his help.

Danny covered the hand she had resting on his chest with his own and gave a gentle squeeze.

"I don't think I can tell ya anything you don't already know Montana. You know Lucy will be just fine with Mac and Stella. You know that you and I could use this time together. You know that soon you are gonna be back at work and Lucy is gonna be apart from you for hours and..."

"Danny," Lindsay cut in skeptically, "I'm not sure this is helping as much as you think."

Danny rolled his eyes, "Would you be patient woman?"

Lindsay smirked, "Go ahead."

"As I was sayin'. I know I don't have to explain to you why it's gonna be ok, but I know that doesn't take away the fear. So I won't ask you to not feel that way. All I'm askin' is that you trust me, you let me show you it will be ok."

Danny was very careful to not try and manipulate Lindsay into choosing what he wanted. He needed this time with his wife but it was equally as important for her to enjoy this time as well. So he kept his distance, fighting the instinct to wrap his arms around her, and allowed her a moment to consider his request.

Lindsay trusted Danny. She wanted to be fair to him. She needed to decide if she could devote enough attention to him while she was apart from Lucy. She needed to be able to focus on her husband and not constantly be worrying about her daughter. She confessed as much to him.

Danny couldn't help the laughter that escaped, "Oh you're gonna worry babe. I do every time I walk out the door and leave you girls at home. But," Danny said with a wink, "I promise to do my best ta keep ya distracted."

Lindsay was tickled by his antics and added her own laughter, "Ok Messer, that was the pep talk I needed. Now let's go say goodbye before I change my mind."

Danny nodded and turned to walk back to where Mac and Stella stood waiting with Lucy. He stopped so abruptly Lindsay smashed into him.

"Danny, what the hell?" she murmured as she rubbed her nose.

"Sorry Montana," Danny said distractedly, then raised his hand and pointed, adding, "Look at dat."

Lindsay poked her head around Danny's shoulder and gazed forward. A huge smile spread across her face as she watched Stella and Mac tickle Lucy's belly, happily oblivious to the rest of the world as they grinned at each other, laughing at the tiny baby's gurgling. Lindsay couldn't help the "ah" that slipped out.

"Isn't that adorable?"

Danny cringed at the higher octave his wife's voice hit but throwing his arm around her shoulders he agreed, "Yeah," then teased, "but a work place romance never works out."

Lindsay pinched him in the side and warned, "Watch it Messer, now is not the time to tease the new mommy who is about to abandon her child."

Danny shook his head at her overly dramatic interpretation but wisely chose not to comment.

They approached the older couple and Lindsay was the first to speak, "Sorry about that guys. Danny just needed a moment to deal with leaving Lucy."

Danny's head shot up--a look of indignation on his face--and Mac and Stella swallowed down a knowing chuckle.

Stella quickly interjected, "I know it's hard Danny but we're going to take good care of Lucy."

"No, I wasn't..." Danny began but was interrupted by Mac.

"Don't apologize Danny. It's perfectly normal to worry. Just know that Lucy will be well cared for and that it's important for you and Lindsay to enjoy your time together," looking directly at Lindsay he added, "Taking this time for each other doesn't make you a bad parent. In fact, it will probably help you to be a better one."

Lindsay gave Mac an appreciative smile, knowing neither of her friends believed Danny was the one with the problem. She reached out her arms for her daughter and Stella immediately passed the baby to her. Lucy buried her face in her into the crook of her mothers's neck and Lindsay rubbed circles on her back. She looked at Mac and Stella asking, "Danny told you about warming up the breast milk?" They had barely nodded when Lindsay continued, "Good. She shouldn't be hungry for a few hours since I just fed her. If she does start to fuss and it's not a hungry cry, you can try giving her a pacifier. She doesn't really like them but sometimes I can trick her into taking one for a little while. She will probably fall asleep in the car, which is fine. We will sometimes just leave her in the baby carrier rather than risk moving her, so if you just want to leave her in the car seat that's fine. You should be able to get it out of the car without waking her. And you know the car seat just snaps right into the base that's been strapped onto the back seat and of course she has to be facing backwards."

"Linds," Danny tried to interrupt but to no avail.

"If she does start fussing and she won't take a bottle or the pacy then you will probably have to take turns bouncing her. She loves the movement but be sure you don't wait too long to start because if she gets herself really worked up and starts screaming she will probably puke on you. She doesn't have a big problem with spitting up, but if she's been really screaming and crying then watch out. Also, she had a bit of a rash last week. It's cleared up now but if you notice any redness when you change her diaper be sure to put a little bit of...

"Montana!" Danny said forcefully.

"What?" Lindsay asked.

"Enough babe," Danny insisted gently, "Mac, Stella and Lucy are gonna be just fine, and if for some crazy reason they aren't then they will call our cell phones and we will go straight home, 'k?"

Lindsay's eyes moved from Danny's slightly exasperated look to Mac and Stella's bemused expressions.

"You're right," she agreed sheepishly, "It'll be fine."

When she made no move to hand Lucy back, Danny realized he was going to have to help her.

"Come'ere Lucy," Danny wooed his daughter. He took her into his arms and said to Lindsay, "A'right Mom, I'm ready for my goodbye kiss."

Lindsay stepped forward and placed a sweet kiss on her daughter's cheek and whispered, "I love you Lucy. Be good for Uncle Mac and Aunt Stella."

Danny knelt down to where the car seat was sitting on the floor, buckled Lucy in, gave her belly a tickle and told her, "Mommy and Daddy will be home soon. A'right baby girl? We love you."

Lucy began to whine, not liking being buckled into her seat since she was enjoying all the attention she'd been getting from the four adults. Lindsay made to step forward but Danny stood and caught her arm, hindering her approach. He picked up the baby carrier and tugged on one of the toys that hung from the bar. _Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star_ began playing through the m.i.d.i. piano sound and Lucy was instantly distracted. Danny handed the carrier to Mac then stepped back and took Lindsay's hand in his.

Stella stepped over to them and gave first Danny a hug then Lindsay.

"You guys have fun," she told them.

"Thanks for doing this guys," Lindsay smiled at them, gripping tightly to Danny's hand.

"Call if ya need anything," Danny said.

"We will," Mac assured the young parents. He motioned for Stella to walk ahead of him and with a final look he left the couple in the lobby.

"Danny," Lindsay said evenly.

"Yeah babe?"

"I could really use some of that distracting right about now."

Danny heard the plea in her voice and turned her to face him. He leaned into her and pressed his lips against hers, the hand she wasn't holding came up to cup the back of her head. She felt his tongue run along her lips and she right away opened her mouth to allow him access. Lindsay suddenly felt starved for him as he deepened the kiss. She experienced the spark of chemistry that always came when she and Danny shared their breathe. As she brought her body closer to his, she felt a wave of pleasure spread through her body as his heat warmed her inside and out. The familiar scent of Danny's cologne triggering memories of past romantic moments. Her mouth moved against his, sucking and tugging, wanting more.

Danny pulled back slowly, both regretting the loss of contact.

Danny took a few seconds to catch his breath before asking, "Ya ready for our date Mrs. Messer?"

Lindsay gave him a huge smile; an outward representation of the excitement that was coursing through her body.

"Lead the way, Mr. Messer."

* * *

**OK, next chapter is the official date! Thanks for sticking with the story!!! Hopefully the pay off will be worth it :)**

**So I put a little sprinkle of SMacked in there (my first real attempt) and it was inspired by Brinchen86. Thanks girl!**


End file.
